ELAM: We were energy independent

The winter is predicted to be 1% colder than last winter. A mere four-inch snowfall crashed the grid here in San Antonio last winter. Natural gas prices are already at $5. Team Biden is doing everything to prevent U.S. energy independence. Pipelines have been cancelled, drilling on federal land forbidden, and hostile secretaries at EPA and Energy complete the anti-energy mixture.

As previously noted, Team Biden turns to OPEC and Russia for more supply. I read that the Energy Department is finally concerned that oil prices might get back to $100. That won’t help during the next election. But given their adversarial position, what did they expect?

We expected a high in the stock markets in this time frame and it has arrived right on schedule. But the majority of stocks have been falling since topping in February. The over weighting of the FANG stocks in so many indexes has kept the averages high. But even now Amazon and Facebook are experiencing weakness.

Expect lower prices for late October, then a bounce followed by a second low in November.

I had another birthday this weekend and have mixed feelings. I have outlived my parents, but appreciate that I inhabit a somewhat diminished tech age for example

  • My idea of a portable laptop which can be accessed anywhere anytime is a Big Chief tablet and a pencil, upgrade is a yellow lined legal pad.
  • My concept of Google groups is a telephone party line.
  • My concept of just in time is a cold six pack in the refrigerator.
  • My concept of the apple fit bit fitness watch is John Cameron Swayze demonstrating a 1961 mechanical Timex attached to an outboard motor — it takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
  • My concept of Google glasses is progressive bifocals.
  • My concept of distance education is a library book.
  • My concept of high-speed stock trading is a telephone call.
  • My concept of COVID vaccination is that sugar cube with the pink Salk vaccine we all took at Paul Horn Elementary School in Bellaire, Texas, about 1955-56.
  • My concept of clean air is riding the chair lift to the top of Snowmass in Colorado about 10,000 feet; gorgeous view for miles around.
  • My concept of clean water is anywhere in the Caribbean more than 200 miles from Miami

And finally my concept of motivation: You will be issued a pair of boot straps with which you will be expected to pull yourself up …