US rig count - 658

HOUSTON (AP) -- The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by five this week to 658.

A year ago, 698 rigs were active. Depressed energy prices have curtailed exploration, although the rig count has been rebounding in recent weeks.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 525 rigs sought oil and 132 explored for natural gas this week. One was listed as miscellaneous.

Texas gained three rigs, Oklahoma added two and New Mexico and North Dakota were up one each.

Kansas declined by one rig.

Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming were all unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May at 404.

Our poll result for Malay reserved president.

Only 20% supported a Malay reserved president!

Singapore first casualty in the expected economic slump.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/singapore-inchcape-sack-120-workers-074155097.html

If you have read our previous postings, you will know that we're less sanguine about our economic growth because of China containment for Singapore economic growth which is leading to lesser sea freight demands and diminishing port volumes.

Singapore stock calls for 30 December 2016

USA is nothing but a troublemaker!

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/philippines-duterte-calls-u-envoys-spies-over-alleged-125215301.html

USA is a troublemaker wherever it is present.  Just look at Syria, Iraq, Afganistan, Palestine, Turkey, South Korea, Philippines and South China Sea.  No wonder it is losing support and getting alienated in Asia.

USA has been supporting and grooming terrorists in Middle East.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/turkey-insists-us-provided-weapons-kurdish-militia-102217736.html

It's a known fact to political scientists that USA created terrorists in the Middle East.  Therefore, it's not surprising that Turkey is accusing USA of supporting terrorists.  USA abandoned the terrorists when it couldn't control them anymore, just like USA abandoned Israel in UN.

USA is known to be an unreliable partner and ally and we should stay away from USA.

Israel is the aggressor against Palestine.

Israel has been swallowing up Palestine's land and killing Palestinians with USA support. This has angered the world and the world is condemning Israel for its wrongdoings.  In the latest UN voting against Israel, USA didn't veto the vote like in the past as it was not worth incurring the wrath of the world but abstained from voting because it knew the world was against Israel vehemently.  The US abstinence angered Israel and Israel condemned US for it.  Consequently, the US-Israel relationship will become rocky after this.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/23/politics/israel-official-rips-obama-un-settlements/

NASA knew that we're not alone long time ago.

South Korea takes on a different view of USA now!

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/south-korea-regulator-fines-qualcomm-854-million-violating-030451385--finance.html

After the impeachment of President Park, South Korea is getting anti-USA because USA messed up South Korea with THAAD defence system installation.

South Korea is getting tough with USA to appease its citizens and China.  This is the reason for such a gargantuan fine.

UFO structure can be seen from a beach in China.

UFO sighting in South China Sea!

Singapore stock calls for 27 December 2016

The importance of China naval drill.

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/taiwan-says-chinese-carrier-heading-towards-hainan-024228649.html

China naval drill has 2 significant importance.  First, it is sending a message to Taiwan that it can attack Taiwan from the East and West.  Second, it is telling the USA implicitly that it is capable of breaching the first line of containment.  It will be before long that China can also breach the 2nd line of containment at Guam.

China is currently developing another 3 aircraft carriers for South China Sea.  By then, China can no longer be contained by USA in South China Sea.

Baltic dry index - 961

Today, Friday, December 23 2016, the Baltic Dry Index climbed by 33 points, reaching 961 points.

Baltic Dry Index is compiled by the London-based Baltic Exchange and covers prices for transported cargo such as coal, grain and iron ore. The index is based on a daily survey of agents all over the world. Baltic Dry hit a temporary peak on May 20, 2008, when the index hit 11,793. The lowest level ever reached was on Wednesday the 10th of February 2016, when the index dropped to 290 points.

US rig count - 653

HOUSTON (AP) — The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 16 this week to 653.

A year ago, 700 rigs were active. Depressed energy prices have curtailed exploration, although the rig count has been rising in recent weeks.

Houston oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 523 rigs sought oil and 129 explored for natural gas this week. One was listed as miscellaneous.

Oklahoma gained six rigs, Texas gained four, Alaska increased by three and Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wyoming each added one.

West Virginia declined by two and Arkansas lost one.

California, Kansas and Utah were unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981. It bottomed out in May at 404.

Singapore stock calls for 23 December 2016

The new economy and radical social structure in the year 20XX.

We are facing an industrial revolution whereby robotic and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies will overtake the world that will create an entirely different economy and new social structure that we have not envisaged in our existing society.

Many “dark factories” without human involvements will start popping up in the new economy under this industrial revolution to cater to market demands.  These dark factories will operate under darkness because robotic devices and AI machines can produce goods and services 24 hours daily more efficiently and effectively than humans.  Furthermore, driverless mobility units will be plying the road, sea and air to transport goods and humans at varying speeds in this new environment.

Healthcare and medical services will be performed by AI robotic devices which are completely different from tele-operated robotic devices that still require medical staffs’ involvements.  AI medical devices are able to analyze millions of medical cases prior to the actual operations to provide the best course of medical actions available that a surgeon cannot fulfill and will be more professional than any medical doctor.

All these radical technological changes will engender new societal developments that governments have to manage and handle especially for mismatch of labour requirements.

The “new residents” will only be academically trained but without actual working experiences in this new society.  These new residents will no longer be able to earn incomes but will receive state allowances for subsistence.  The determinants for individual allowances for subsistence will become a challenging task that needs to be circumvented in this new world.  Inadvertently, new social activities, norms and cultures will ensue from this upcoming industrial revolution.

This industrial revolution may sound foreboding to you as a human but this is something unavoidable.  The faster we adopt and embrace this revolution, the better we will be compared to secular countries that are resistant to changes.

Humans are resistant to changes but if we don’t have the courage for change, we will not progress and evolve.

This is my awakening Christmas gift for mankind.  Merry Christmas to all!

Singapore stock calls for 22 December 2016

Taiwan has lost 1 country recognising its sovereignty.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/china-cheers-taiwan-splits-one-014633527.html

China is making sure that there will be lesser countries establishing diplomatic ties with Taiwan because of its pro-independence stance.

Putin is making a fool out of Abe but Abe doesn't know it.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/15/asia/putin-abe-japan-arrival/

The japanese government has been whitewashing its WW2 history till now and very few people know the true account of these kuril islands anymore.

These kuril islands belonged to Russia and Russia let Japan have them in exchange for non-invasion from the Japanese during WW2.  However, Japan attacked Russia after taking the kuril islands.  Therefore, Russia took back the kuril islands after the end of WW2 because Japan didn't honour the agreement.

Abe still harbours the wishful thinking that Russia will return the kuril islands but Putin won't return them back to Japan as Japan reneged its promise in WW2.  Putin is just playing Abe for this episode.