Enbridge Reports 4Q14 Results -- Returns To Profit -- Misses By 3 Cents -- February 20, 2015

Enbridge misses by $0.03, beats on revs : Reports Q4 (Dec) earnings of CC$0.49 per share, CC$0.03 worse than the Capital IQ Consensus Estimate of CC$0.52; revenues rose 6.1% year/year to CC$8.8 bln vs the CC$8.07 bln consensus.

Reuters via Rigzone is reporting:

Enbridge Inc, Canada's largest pipeline company, said on Friday it returned to profit in the fourth-quarter as new projects entered service. 

The company reported net income of C$88 million ($70.5 million), or 10 Canadian cents per share, after a loss of C$271 million, or 33 Canadian cents, in the year-ago period.

Adjusted earnings, which remove most one-time items, rose 13 percent to C$409 million, or 49 Canadian cents, from C$362 million, or 44 Canadian cents, in the year-prior quarter. The result lagged the 53 Canadian-cent average analyst estimate for the measure, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Enbridge is restructuring its operations after late last year announcing it would pay out more of its profits in dividends. It is also pushing billions of dollars worth of pipeline and other assets into affiliated funds and partnerships to improve the cost of funding new projects.

Meanwhile, MRO reports saving money; Reuters at Rigzone reports:

Marathon Oil Corp said on Thursday it has so far captured $225 million in savings, citing streamlined shale drilling and completion processes and lower prices from oilfield service providers.

While many oil and gas companies forecast cost savings, Marathon said it is already seeing savings as it squeezes well costs in fields in south Texas and elsewhere and renegotiates service contracts in response to the steep drop in crude oil prices that have upended the sector.

The Land Of Ice And Snow: Kennedy Cold Front To Hit The Entire US Through First Week Of March, 2015

The land of ice and snow ...

Immigrant Song, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Karen O

 The land of ice and snow ...

Every state in the continuous United States -- forecast for temperatures below "normal" through the first week of March, 2015:

I assume the "warmists" will record the temperatures around Brownsville, TX, during this time period (Brownsville is the "brown" area on the map above, south Texas). The rest of the states will be seen as "outliers" -- not fitting the theory and the data thrown out.

For All That Talk About Wind Energy, The Brits Are Up To 0.9% -- And Climbing -- February 17, 2015

For those following the wind industry, the big four are: a) the Danes or the Dutch (I always get them mixed up); b) the Germans; c) the Spanish (or was that solar? I always get solar and wind mixed up); and, d) the Brits.

We posted a story earlier that shows the Germans reaping less than 15% % of nameplate capacity from their wind farms. Maybe I was being a big hard on the Germans. Compared to the Brits, the Germans are doing great.

Last June, 2014, for the Brits:

For 56% of the month, wind was supplying less than 3% of the UK’s power, and this during a summer month when demand is low. Worse still, wind was generating less than 1% of the country’s needs for 11% of the time.

In terms of capacity, wind was working at less than 5% of its capacity for 28% of the month, and only got above 10% for 27% of the time, the equivalent of 8 days.

The lowest actual measurement was recorded on the 30th at 82MW, just 0.7% of capacity.

But things have improved, from 0.7% last summer, wind energy in Britain now accounts for 0.9% of all energy, on February 10, 2015:

It’s peak demand tonight in the UK, and wind is supplying just 0.9% of the country’s electricity.

Meanwhile, coal and gas are producing 68.4%.

0.9%. Wow.

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Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2, Closing Credits, Malaguena Salerosa, Chingon

Oldest Profession Makes News In Bakken Oil Patch -- February 19, 2015

Reporting tomorrow:
Deere (DE), forecast 83 cents, before market open;
Enerplus Corp (ERF.TO), forecast 21 cents, before market open;

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Other Locations Sweeter Than The Bakken?

Woman to plead guilty to prostitution in Minot, Dickinson. Bakken.com is reporting:

The brothels allegedly were operated by Loc Tran and Trina Nguyen (wihn). They are scheduled for trial in June on racketeering and extortion charges.

Authorities say Tran and Nguyen lured women from California to work as prostitutes in western North Dakota between 2012 and 2014.

Oh, yes, and Williston.

For all the stories on this issue, it's interesting where the "sweet spots" are in North Dakota. Williston seems to be one of the least mentioned.

Reach out and touch me:

Personal Jesus, Depeche Mode

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How Soon Will This House of Cards Fall?

Germany stuns pundits: won't agree to Greece's demands. Clock is ticking.

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MSNBC -- 55,000 Viewers?

I Can't Make This Stuff Up

Politico is reporting:

Earlier this month, MSNBC registered its lowest full-day rating in nearly a decade, drawing an average of 55,000 viewers in the all-important 25- to 54-year-old demo. In January, MSNBC's daytime ratings for January were down 20 percent in total and 37 percent in the demo when compared to the previous year. In prime time, total viewership was down 23 percent, while the demo dropped by 39 percent. 

55,000 viewers in the 25- to 54-year old demo. And they all live inside the DC beltway.

North Dakota #1 In Freedom Among The 57 US States -- February 19, 2015

There are two "grading" agencies at this link: John Mason and Mercator Center.

Most of the article covers the John Locke data. North Dakota scores well but not at the top of the list.

In the George Mason University's Mercator Center list, the #1 state... in "freedom" .... drum roll ... North Dakota. South Dakota is ranked #2. California, #49, and New Yor State, #50.

There must be something inherently wrong in the scoring system when the John Locke data scores North Dakota dead last in educational freedom. My hunch is it may have to do with the Law of Small Numbers: simply not that many independent school districts with a strong central state government.

Whatever.

But look at the rankings of California, New York state, and Massachusetts -- the big three when it comes to liberalism. One of the most conservative states ranks #1 in the John Locke list.

Huge, huge "thank you" to a reader for sending me this link; there's no way I would have come across this on my own.