Apple Is Sticking To Its Knitting, As They Say — August 8, 2025

Locator: 48814VENOM. 

This is perhaps the most fascinating story in recent memory: Apple sticking to its knitting.

I'll provide narrative for the following when/if:

• I have the time;
• I have the energy; and,
• I think I have anything of value to add.

Item: which electronic consumers company has 2.35 billion active devices worldwide? Also, link here. Link here.

Item: the king of AI, Sam Altman acknowledges missteps with upgrade of ChatGPT. Link here. This just happened, in the past 48 hours.

Item: Rivian cuts production due to supply chain issues; particularly and specifically heavy rare earth metals and magnets sourced from China. Link here. Huge misstep for a company so dependent on heavy rare earth metals and magnets.

Item: Tim Cook / Apple considered the odd man out when it comes to AI. Think different. Link here.

Item: Tim Cook is considered the king of logistics; supply chain his #1 focus. Link here.

Item: Apple is sourcing heavy rare earth metals and magnets from US #1 source. Link here. Apple will likely be MP Materials’ #1 customer.

Item: Apple is quietly moving from the most-regulated, most-highly taxed state in the union to one of the least-taxed, least-regulated state.  One step at a time. $1 billion at a time. Link here.

Item: MP Materials operations in Ft Worth, Texas. Link here. Alliance Airport, Ft Worth, Texas.

Item: why MP Materials chose Ft Worth, Texas, for its refining and processing operations. Link here.

Item: timeline -- MP Materials moves to Ft Worth, Texas. Link here.

MP Materials is establishing a rare earth metal and magnetics production hub in Fort Worth, Texas, called Independence. This facility will transform rare earth materials from Mountain Pass, California, into metals, alloys, and finished neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets. The goal is to create a domestic supply chain for these critical components used in electric vehicles, drones, robotics, and other technologies, reducing reliance on foreign sources.

Item: an impending shootout between Apple's C1 chip and Qualcom's Snapdragon X85.

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More

Item: quick! Who's number one in wearables? Link here.

Item: services has nothing to do with sales of new iPhones or AI. Services has to do with 2.35 billion active Apple devices worldwide. Growth rate of Apple devices worldwide? Link here.

AI: wouldn't it be interesting if OpenAI offered ChatGPT for free to Apple -- overnight, ChatGPT might be on as many as 2 billion devices!

Venom — August 8, 2025

Locator: 48814VENOM.

For the archives.

Link here.

Link here.

I could be wrong on this but DOR for both STR and VNOM for dividend purposes appears to be August 14, 2025.

At The Close -- Another Record -- August 8, 2025

Locator: 48813B.

BRK: owns more Treasury bills than the Federal Reserve. This is an old story, but has been updated. Link here. If this is how you like to invest, go for it.

Putin: sources suggest Putin will stop fighting if Russia gets "Eastern Ukraine." Before folks get too cynical with regard to this proposal, it's a heck of a better deal than the US got at the "end" of the Vietnam conflict.

Pipelines vs renewable energy: the state of North Dakota is re-directing money planned for renewable energy to natural gas pipelines. That about says it all. A simple search reveals multiple sources:

• Clean Sustainable Energy Authority (CSEA): A state board originally created to fund technologies reducing the environmental impact of North Dakota's energy industries will reportedly have no new funding for the next two years.
• Potential for redirection: Officials have stated that future funding from this authority may go towards projects using natural gas supplied by state-supported pipelines.
• Support for natural gas pipelines: The North Dakota Industrial Commission is actively considering proposals from companies seeking financial backing to build natural gas pipelines, including a potential $500 million guarantee to purchase space on such a pipeline, according to the Grand Forks Herald.
• Justification for redirection: Arguments in favor of prioritizing natural gas include ensuring energy reliability, particularly for industrial users, and managing the natural gas extracted alongside oil in the Bakken region. 
• [The real justification: new natural gas pipelines need financial incentives to press forward and ND really, really, really wants these natural gas pipelines -- or the state goes back to flaring!]
  

Fracking: Mexico is having second thoughts. Now, it's okay to frack. LOL. Link here.

At the close:

AAPL: before closing at $229, Apple hit an intra-day high of $231.

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Back to the Bakken

WTI: $63.88.

Active rigs: 33.

Seven new permits, #42194 - #42200, inclusive:

• Operators: Kraken (4); Hunt Oil (2); Whiting;
• Fields: Big Stone (Williams); Parshall (Mountrail); and, Foreman Butte (McKenzie)
• Comments:
• Whiting has a permit for another Link well, lot 1, section 18-150-101, 
• to be sited 394 FNL and 1130 FWL;
• Hunt Oil has permits for an Oakland well and a Severance well, lots 1 and 2, respectively, section 5-135-89, 
• to be sited 386 / 416 FNL; and 1300 FEL;
• Kraken has permits for two Apollo wells and two Turbodiesel wells, all in NWNE 19-159-98, 
• to be sited 615 FL and 1676 / 1775 FEL.

Alison Ritter -- Geoff Simon's Quick Connects -- August 8, 2025

Locator: 48814B.

Alison Ritter -- Geoff Simon's quick connects:

• North Dakota officials give the go-ahead to Bakken-area pipelines -- Bismarck Tribune

• Two pipeline projects look to bring natural gas to eastern North Dakota -- KFYR - TV

• Minnesota Power announces plan for 200 MW wind farm in North Dakota -- Dickinson Press

• Energy officials from Pakistan will visit Minot as part of US State Dept. initiative -- KX News

• Basin Electric's $4B gas plant approved; set to be North Dakota's largest power source -- Bismarck Tribune

• North Dakota landowners want to bring eminent domain case to US Supreme Court -- North Dakota Monitor

• Sensor-based light requirement waived for part of south central North Dakota wind farm -- Bismarck Tribune

• Interior Department has signed off on the expansion of Montana's Rosebud coal mine -- E&E News

• April Keystone Pipeline spill may have been caused by same issue in Walsh County -- Dickinson Press

• Greenpeace says ND judge shouldn't meddle with international free speech case -- North Dakota Monitor

• New Summit CEO teases 'updates' to business plan in letter to landowners -- North Dakota Monitor

• ND regulators join complaint against grid operator for 'egregious' transmission planning -- Dickinson Press

• Australia's Midwest diplomat visits North Dakota to promote shared interests -- North Dakota Monitor

• North Dakota farmers, ag businesses brace for blowback from expected tariffs -- Dickinson Press

• US Senate approves North Dakota military construction projects, veteran health care -- Minot Daily News

• Four improvement projects coming to state parks to take place this fall across North Dakota -- KX News

• Minot City Council rejects proposal to put half cent of sales tax to public safety expenses -- KFYR - TV

• Historic Pipe Bar and Grill in Killdeer destroyed in weekend fire; no one injured -- KFYR - TV

• NDACo and Divide County officials discuss impacts from latest legislative session -- The Journal

• McKenzie County economy shows resilience and growth in July -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Williams County preliminary 2026 budget released; could be up $17M over last year -- KFYR - TV

• Rural North Dakota is getting a major boost for grocery access; Washburn benefits -- KFYR-TV

• NPS awards $1 million to Turtle Mountain Band for park project slated for 2029 completion -- Dickinson Press

• Ward County commissioners need to cut $745K from property tax levy to fall under cap -- Minot Daily News

• With election of a new mayor, Minot City Council will be looking to fill another vacancy -- Minot Daily News

• Stark County opens six community gathering locations ahead of severe weather threat -- Dickinson Press

• BCDC launches mural grants to boost beautification and creative placemaking -- Bowman County Pioneer

• ND Dept. of Public Instruction looking to establish rules, guidelines for charter schools -- KFYR - TV

• 'Chokecherry parents' recognized with tree planting at Rickard Elementary School -- Williston Herald

• Big Beautiful Bill impacts school lunches in North Dakota with SNAP funds being cut by $186B -- KFYR - TV

• Ray city commissioners take another step toward opening new day care facility -- The Journal

• Two days of professional development for Hazen teachers cut out after funding stalled -- Hazen Star

• Center-Stanton's new principal sees connections as mission for success -- The Center Republican

• North Dakota schools seeing a change in the cafeteria with healthier meals implemented -- KX News

• National Science Foundation awards over $8 million across ten North Dakota colleges -- Kevin Cramer

• China is choking supply of critical minerals to western defense manufacturers -- Wall Street Journal

• Surging temperatures drive electricity demand in Lower 48 to record peak in July, says EIA -- Reuters

• As OPEC+ ends supply hikes, next move will require 'delicate balancing,' analysts say -- World Oil

• EPA pushes back rollout of Biden administration's methane emission rule for oil and gas -- MSN

• China's Foreign Ministry pushes back at US demands to stop buying Russian and Iranian oil -- AP News

• BLM calls new oil and gas rules 'noncontroversial,' exempts from public comment -- Inside Climate News

• Artificial intelligence needs energy- but it doesn't have to cost the planet -- The Energy Pioneer

• All spin aside, the emerging artificial intelligence will rely on natural gas -- RealClearEnergy

• States scramble to complete renewable energy projects before tax credits expire -- South Dakota Searchlight

• EPA plans to terminate $7B in federal grants for solar power projects in low-income communities -- Oil Price

• Democrats who drove up electric rates with the Green New Deal now blaming Trump -- RealClearEnergy

• Media in an alarmist tizzy over EPA plan to repeal "science" that's not science -- Climate Change Dispatch

• EPA administrator Lee Zeldin schools CNN for false climate claims on endangerment finding -- NewsBusters

"A Victory For Mr Trump And A Brushback Of A Judge -- New York Times -- August 8, 2025

Locator: 48812BOASBERG.

Link here to The New York Times.