Running Bear's April 2025 Coffee Shop
- Thread starter Bill Tidler Jr.
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Everyone forgets that the Dow consists of 30 stocks, and many are quite pricey. A big drop in Apple, for instance, affects the index but not so much the stock. WTF. If I knew anything, I'd be up there with Tom's pal Warren.
That sort of thing. I won't claim to be an expert but I did read an article about it the other day talking about oil and the US and how its not so simple as "drill baby drill" being reflected at the pump right away. Though by increasing supply in the world market, it does affect the overall trends of the market even if the types of oil are "wrong".
And btw, I did not sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so take this for what you paid for it.
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santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Strange how many people are happy that the Dow only dropped 155 points in a day!!! My main ETF's are in S&P and Russell 2000.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Carrot and Beet seeds can last as long as 5 years if stored in a cool dry place. Parsnips and Okra just 1-2 years at best, although I have had Parsnip seeds remain viable longer when stored in the fridge.
I planted a new variety of golden beets this year. Heirloom seeds from Switzerland.
kbkchooch
Verified Human
Lemon Meringue !!!!
Len Turner
Well-Known Member
Frito pie
Boris
Beach Bum
It's the Crisis level reporting. when the market corrected a little over a year ago, the reporting was Meh! Bloomberg reported tonight that Mexico was blocking oil imports from Texas? Strange, in that Mexico is an OPEC member and therefore a Net Exporter of oil, not an importer...Or do I have that wrong? In any event, oil (WTI ?), was up today, while someone else was reporting US oil stock above consumption was increasing, indicating more supply than demand. I'm confused by these contradictory reports. Personally, I feel the S&P 500 bottom has passed. that was the buying opportunity...for now and subject to change.
Everyone forgets that the Dow consists of 30 stocks, and many are quite pricey. A big drop in Apple, for instance, affects the index but not so much the stock. WTF. If I knew anything, I'd be up there with Tom's pal Warren.
chadbag
Well-Known Member
It has to do with the kinds of oil. Supposedly US oil is predominantly "light sweet" oil, but most refineries in the US are not set up to handle it so we sell it abroad. In return, we import the heavy crude that our refineries are set up to handle.
That sort of thing. I won't claim to be an expert but I did read an article about it the other day talking about oil and the US and how its not so simple as "drill baby drill" being reflected at the pump right away. Though by increasing supply in the world market, it does affect the overall trends of the market even if the types of oil are "wrong".
And btw, I did not sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night, so take this for what you paid for it.
Bill Tidler Jr.
Retired N&W/NS Signalman
Good morning! It's 36°F and clear in Tipton. 
troyphoto
Snarky Old Fart (in training)
Well, howdy there internet peeps, oil and DOW experts, and those who didn't do what members of congress might have done...
It's Troy again...
Today the wife gets her hairs cut so I might do a run to the hobby store while she's getting beautified.
Up on today's list for me is downloading all of my audiobook files from Audible/ACX platform. 5 books x (27 chapters + opening and closing credits) = a LOT of downloading. Then uploading to another platform.
Up til now, the 5 audiobooks I paid to have narrated by a pro have been languishing in Audible's EXCLUSIVITY clause. Because I did a Royalty Share with the narrator through Audible's contracting portal, I'm locked into being exclusive with them for 7 years on each book.
Well, last night narrator and I signed the paperwork ending that agreement, and I made the first of three annual payments to compensate her for the amount we'd been earning. There were three years left on our contracts, so I'm making an annual payment for each of those years. She and returned all rights to me for the books. So I can tell Audible to shove their exclusivity.
Spotify is quickly becoming a behemoth in the audiobooks market. My guess is two years or less for them to become the new dominant platform and beat Audible (owned by Amazon - and the Zon loves to use Exclusivity to lock in domination).
I don't make much off of Audio, but getting it on more platforms can only help. The problem with Audible, up til now, has been their subscription service. 12.99/mo and you get one download credit. That is ONE book. My books are only a 6 hour listen. And audiobook listeners usually go at 1.5x speed. So 4 hours.
Brandon Sanderson, the hot newish Fantasy author that did a $3mill + kickstarter a few years ago has many books out that are each over 40+ hours of narration. One book = 40+ hours. For 12.99, is a listener going to get his book for their credit, or my book?
But platforms like Spotify, Kobo, etc are starting subscription models that are "all you can read/listen" for even less. True, we get paid a bit less (maybe??? Audible's billing and payment system is very dodgy and tough to understand. If I wanted to download monthly spreadsheets, and analyze the numbers, I could parse out how much I make per book based on which type of Audible credit was used to get the book... But they do not make it easy. Every other platform has much simpler interfaces, and the data is a lot more transparent. Below is what I get, unless I start downloading monthly spreadsheets. I can't even look at the dollar data online. I have to download the spreadsheet.
So... today is download each book, one chapter at a time. then upload those chapters to another service that I can "gift" the audiobooks out to my review team. I'll have them listen for glitches that might be introduced via the transfer of files. Never know when the internet pixies are going to get hopped up on Mexican sodas and go squirrel crazy, flying backwards in belch contests.
Also, I'll make a run to the lumber yard to get some furring strips to mount under the upper deck, and continue to install the Barrina lights. Told the wife I got some just like her grow lights. I was hoping that installing them would help the scenery on my layout grow.
But, I didn't get the "grow" version. Instead, I ordered the 5000K "Daylight" lights.
That's it for now...
It's Troy again...
Today the wife gets her hairs cut so I might do a run to the hobby store while she's getting beautified.
Up on today's list for me is downloading all of my audiobook files from Audible/ACX platform. 5 books x (27 chapters + opening and closing credits) = a LOT of downloading. Then uploading to another platform.
Up til now, the 5 audiobooks I paid to have narrated by a pro have been languishing in Audible's EXCLUSIVITY clause. Because I did a Royalty Share with the narrator through Audible's contracting portal, I'm locked into being exclusive with them for 7 years on each book.
Well, last night narrator and I signed the paperwork ending that agreement, and I made the first of three annual payments to compensate her for the amount we'd been earning. There were three years left on our contracts, so I'm making an annual payment for each of those years. She and returned all rights to me for the books. So I can tell Audible to shove their exclusivity.
Spotify is quickly becoming a behemoth in the audiobooks market. My guess is two years or less for them to become the new dominant platform and beat Audible (owned by Amazon - and the Zon loves to use Exclusivity to lock in domination).
I don't make much off of Audio, but getting it on more platforms can only help. The problem with Audible, up til now, has been their subscription service. 12.99/mo and you get one download credit. That is ONE book. My books are only a 6 hour listen. And audiobook listeners usually go at 1.5x speed. So 4 hours.
Brandon Sanderson, the hot newish Fantasy author that did a $3mill + kickstarter a few years ago has many books out that are each over 40+ hours of narration. One book = 40+ hours. For 12.99, is a listener going to get his book for their credit, or my book?
But platforms like Spotify, Kobo, etc are starting subscription models that are "all you can read/listen" for even less. True, we get paid a bit less (maybe??? Audible's billing and payment system is very dodgy and tough to understand. If I wanted to download monthly spreadsheets, and analyze the numbers, I could parse out how much I make per book based on which type of Audible credit was used to get the book... But they do not make it easy. Every other platform has much simpler interfaces, and the data is a lot more transparent. Below is what I get, unless I start downloading monthly spreadsheets. I can't even look at the dollar data online. I have to download the spreadsheet.
So... today is download each book, one chapter at a time. then upload those chapters to another service that I can "gift" the audiobooks out to my review team. I'll have them listen for glitches that might be introduced via the transfer of files. Never know when the internet pixies are going to get hopped up on Mexican sodas and go squirrel crazy, flying backwards in belch contests.
Also, I'll make a run to the lumber yard to get some furring strips to mount under the upper deck, and continue to install the Barrina lights. Told the wife I got some just like her grow lights. I was hoping that installing them would help the scenery on my layout grow.
But, I didn't get the "grow" version. Instead, I ordered the 5000K "Daylight" lights.That's it for now...
CambriaArea51
Well-Known Member
Good morning....Coffee Flo,please and get Mel moving I'm hungry.
35 today and rain snow mix. Weatherman says next week warmer temps on the way but the ice boom is still in Lake Erie with a water temp of 33. As long as your not down wind of the lake it may be warm but it's still a big glass of ice water.
35 today and rain snow mix. Weatherman says next week warmer temps on the way but the ice boom is still in Lake Erie with a water temp of 33. As long as your not down wind of the lake it may be warm but it's still a big glass of ice water.
TLOC
Well-Known Member
Good morning oilers and modelers. It’s 65f degrees according to the WeatherChannel app. Seemed a bit high and unbelievable so I went to a local TV weather website and it’s 28f degrees. Therefore I concluded I have no real idea what the temperature is but I’ll do with the 28 since a few cars parked in the street have frosty windshields.
I let the “walking” group know yesterday I would not be walking this morning.
Like parts of the stock market I don’t understand the USA oil market. I do understand the volatile nature of it. However to me the production and the why it goes up and down does seem like it’s at the whims of the Oil companies and Sheiks. I knew that some of the Texas oil was the “sweet” variety and that the Canadian and Dakota oil was “heavy” harder to refine crude oil. When an oil refinery is taken out of service for maintenance during the high traffic Summer months it is a ploy for higher pump prices. I knew some guys who worked for Koch (they were suits) and they always said they could work the maintenance in Winter.
I have 1 more ( not scheduled yet) stress test after yesterdays check me over visit to the Clinic. I go Thursday (tomorrow) to get the results from testing yesterday. Terry had 1 test and a bunch of labs done yesterday and also is scheduled for tomorrow. The entire afternoon yesterday was medical!
I watched the Black Hawk/Senator NHL hockey game last night. I actually have watched at least 2 periods of each of the last 10 Hawk games. I can see the Hawks being a contender next year for the playoffs and the years following for Cup contention if they find a good new coach and not a retread of the previously used coaches available. Speed and size kill in the NHL. The goalies will be very good and Knight possibly great but he has admitted mental health issues. The Hawks know how to handled that as their main goalie in the 3 Stanley Cup era of 2010 to 2016 had issues. Better he admitted it per health experts and he has. The Hawks upfront can fly but they are not big guys but the defense is the youngest ever as a group in the NHL over a full season. They all are 6’2”+ and they can fly. I do not believe Bedard will be a superstar but a very good player topping between 75 and 90 points per season. He has played 2 full seasons and is still not 20 years old. I just don’t have that “it” feeling about him. I don’t think guys under 6’ in the NHL are long term stars with exceptions of course. I don’t think he’s an exception. Personally I would try to trade him this off season to his hometown Vancouver Canucks! That’s my NHL recap for my favorite team.
As usual during the 1st round of the NHL playoffs I will make wire tree armatures between periods. I cannot stand listening to the know it all experts. I used to only sell a completed tree but a couple playoff seasons ago I also started selling just the twisted trunks and didn’t even create the branches. Just the trunks but the wire for forming the branch system was there just not formed. I’m going for 250 instead of 500 to 1000. I don’t need any trees for the layout and I have no current orders but I always get some. I have maybe 30 built trees minus the final flocking of leaves. Shocker though figuring this years sell price. $2.00 each versus $1.10 each last year. Micheal’s really increased florist wire prices. If I get no orders I can gift them to the 2 layouts I was helping to build this year. They are deciduous but not specific trees. I am working on a gift for a layout based on the BNSF Marais Pass of a grove of Weeping or Trembling Aspen. This would be the second grove of 21 trees for him. I stopped for the wire yesterday at Michaels
Thanks for reading, have a great day
I let the “walking” group know yesterday I would not be walking this morning.
Like parts of the stock market I don’t understand the USA oil market. I do understand the volatile nature of it. However to me the production and the why it goes up and down does seem like it’s at the whims of the Oil companies and Sheiks. I knew that some of the Texas oil was the “sweet” variety and that the Canadian and Dakota oil was “heavy” harder to refine crude oil. When an oil refinery is taken out of service for maintenance during the high traffic Summer months it is a ploy for higher pump prices. I knew some guys who worked for Koch (they were suits) and they always said they could work the maintenance in Winter.
I have 1 more ( not scheduled yet) stress test after yesterdays check me over visit to the Clinic. I go Thursday (tomorrow) to get the results from testing yesterday. Terry had 1 test and a bunch of labs done yesterday and also is scheduled for tomorrow. The entire afternoon yesterday was medical!
I watched the Black Hawk/Senator NHL hockey game last night. I actually have watched at least 2 periods of each of the last 10 Hawk games. I can see the Hawks being a contender next year for the playoffs and the years following for Cup contention if they find a good new coach and not a retread of the previously used coaches available. Speed and size kill in the NHL. The goalies will be very good and Knight possibly great but he has admitted mental health issues. The Hawks know how to handled that as their main goalie in the 3 Stanley Cup era of 2010 to 2016 had issues. Better he admitted it per health experts and he has. The Hawks upfront can fly but they are not big guys but the defense is the youngest ever as a group in the NHL over a full season. They all are 6’2”+ and they can fly. I do not believe Bedard will be a superstar but a very good player topping between 75 and 90 points per season. He has played 2 full seasons and is still not 20 years old. I just don’t have that “it” feeling about him. I don’t think guys under 6’ in the NHL are long term stars with exceptions of course. I don’t think he’s an exception. Personally I would try to trade him this off season to his hometown Vancouver Canucks! That’s my NHL recap for my favorite team.
As usual during the 1st round of the NHL playoffs I will make wire tree armatures between periods. I cannot stand listening to the know it all experts. I used to only sell a completed tree but a couple playoff seasons ago I also started selling just the twisted trunks and didn’t even create the branches. Just the trunks but the wire for forming the branch system was there just not formed. I’m going for 250 instead of 500 to 1000. I don’t need any trees for the layout and I have no current orders but I always get some. I have maybe 30 built trees minus the final flocking of leaves. Shocker though figuring this years sell price. $2.00 each versus $1.10 each last year. Micheal’s really increased florist wire prices. If I get no orders I can gift them to the 2 layouts I was helping to build this year. They are deciduous but not specific trees. I am working on a gift for a layout based on the BNSF Marais Pass of a grove of Weeping or Trembling Aspen. This would be the second grove of 21 trees for him. I stopped for the wire yesterday at Michaels
Thanks for reading, have a great day
Last edited:
kbkchooch
Verified Human
Good morning gang!
Partly cloudy and 45°, getting to 54° later.
Not much going on here today, just trying to wrap up a few things since I will be taking tomorrow off for my cardiologist visit. I am going to call son#3 to ask for his assistance with 1 task. The wife's veggie garden is due for tilling and she has forbidden me from operating the roto tiller. She started her seeds already and they are close to transplanting.
BBL
Partly cloudy and 45°, getting to 54° later.
Not much going on here today, just trying to wrap up a few things since I will be taking tomorrow off for my cardiologist visit. I am going to call son#3 to ask for his assistance with 1 task. The wife's veggie garden is due for tilling and she has forbidden me from operating the roto tiller. She started her seeds already and they are close to transplanting.
BBL
Len Turner
Well-Known Member
Good mornin' crew. Under partly cloudy skies, it's 45 this AM in Cheyenne, looking for a high of 71 this afternoon and a low tonight of 45. Winds are W @ 16, gusting to 16, so maybe nothing will blow away today. No precipitation in the forecast for today but there is a possibility of rain turning to light snow Thursday evening.
Wrapped up the weathering re-do on the 6 boxcars and w-i-p'd the Cotton Belt box yesterday. Waiting for metal wheelsets for those that came with plastic ones - read Accurail. For some reason, I have this thing about plastic wheels on rolling stock... Getting order together for flex track, turnouts, wheelsets, etc. With some progress being made on the layout itself, Machine Shop #2 is back on the workbench.
Cardiologist this afternoon, and a little post visit shopping and dinner out with the wifey.
That's about it from here. Y'all have a good day and take care.
Wrapped up the weathering re-do on the 6 boxcars and w-i-p'd the Cotton Belt box yesterday. Waiting for metal wheelsets for those that came with plastic ones - read Accurail. For some reason, I have this thing about plastic wheels on rolling stock... Getting order together for flex track, turnouts, wheelsets, etc. With some progress being made on the layout itself, Machine Shop #2 is back on the workbench.
Cardiologist this afternoon, and a little post visit shopping and dinner out with the wifey.
That's about it from here. Y'all have a good day and take care.
santafewillie
Same Ol' Buzzard
Good Morning All. Clear and 51°, mid-80's later today. Then typical warm or cool Spring forecast for the upcoming days. Rain is still in the forecast for Easter weekend.
Nothing really special about yesterday, I used the weedeater and I also pruned some more low-hanging branches from trees that interfered with mowing. These Hackberry trees can be tenacious. Regardless of the time of year that you prune, it seems to spur them into further growth in the direction that you don't want.
The new beer fridge arrived a day early yesterday, so I spent time moving the old one out of the train shed and the new one in. I'll know shortly how well it works.
I'll be starting the day today after the heavy dew evaporates, by picking more Spinach and enough Lettuce leaves for tonight's supper. I'll probably get more Spinach than I will actually need, but it keeps well. But first, it's the burn barrel while there is no wind and the ground is wet from the dew.
Most of my time yesterday out in the train shed was running additional trains. I did do a minor upgrade to a small outdoor shed that I missed when I first built it.
While the underside of the roof was painted, the fascia was not. A small brush and some white paint took care of that.
It's little details like that which makes scenes come to life.
Tom O -
Doctors - April is a good month for me as I haven't had or have any doctor's appointments this month!
Chad - I use treasuries as a safe interest earner in my portfolio.
Marlin - I tried those golden beets a few years back, but we were not impressed. OK, but not spectacular. I have since quit growing any beets due to their high oxalate content which helped contribute to painful kidney stones.
Len - I'm with you on the Frito Pie.
Joe - I don't invest in any Dow based ETF's for the very reason that you posted; just 30 stocks. I remember back in the 60's when my Dad agonized over a 2-3 point loss! Now we just shrug off hundred point drops.
Everybody have a wonderful Wednesday.
Nothing really special about yesterday, I used the weedeater and I also pruned some more low-hanging branches from trees that interfered with mowing. These Hackberry trees can be tenacious. Regardless of the time of year that you prune, it seems to spur them into further growth in the direction that you don't want.
The new beer fridge arrived a day early yesterday, so I spent time moving the old one out of the train shed and the new one in. I'll know shortly how well it works.
I'll be starting the day today after the heavy dew evaporates, by picking more Spinach and enough Lettuce leaves for tonight's supper. I'll probably get more Spinach than I will actually need, but it keeps well. But first, it's the burn barrel while there is no wind and the ground is wet from the dew.
Most of my time yesterday out in the train shed was running additional trains. I did do a minor upgrade to a small outdoor shed that I missed when I first built it.
While the underside of the roof was painted, the fascia was not. A small brush and some white paint took care of that.
It's little details like that which makes scenes come to life.
Tom O -
We saw this happen during the last four years while inflation was running rampant. I'm still not seeing the price of groceries come down except for the seasonal changes that have always happened.
Doctors - April is a good month for me as I haven't had or have any doctor's appointments this month!
Chad - I use treasuries as a safe interest earner in my portfolio.
Marlin - I tried those golden beets a few years back, but we were not impressed. OK, but not spectacular. I have since quit growing any beets due to their high oxalate content which helped contribute to painful kidney stones.
Len - I'm with you on the Frito Pie.
Joe - I don't invest in any Dow based ETF's for the very reason that you posted; just 30 stocks. I remember back in the 60's when my Dad agonized over a 2-3 point loss! Now we just shrug off hundred point drops.
Everybody have a wonderful Wednesday.
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