Why does Oil Price Go Negative in the Market? - Part 1

In case you did not know or forgot, just to remind that we experienced negative price of crude oil in the market in 2020.

Fig 01- Oil reached negative price (-US$ 37.63).

Credit to Google.

Surprisingly, crude oil price plummet sharply below zero or in the negative trading zone.

The price reached negative value (- US$ 37.63) for the first time at least in American history. The trading of future contract price was for West Texas Intermediate or WTI crude oil.

Negative price means that if we are consumers, then the producers will pay us to take their oil from their hands.

Fig 02- Hot chocolate, illustration

Fig 03- Late Autumn in our area.

We might ask the question, Why Oil Price Goes Negative? The multiple possible answers could be:

- oil supply more than market demand.

- oil stores are overflow or no spaces to store over supply of oil

In term of stock market, oil was traded in New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) since 1983.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Hay Stacks in the Small Farmer Market – Part 1

I know and you might understand as well that hay is “a good food” for different type of livestock.

Image 1- Hay stacks for sale

The livestock which eat hay in the winter or during long drought may include like:

- cows

- horses

- and sheep

Hay for food has two types: lighter and heavier, but both fairly cheap in respect for price.

Image 2- Outdoor, Illustration only

The heavier ones contain higher protein. It is said that “alfalfa hay” may contain protein up to 21%, higher compared to grass hay.

The grass hay may contain protein about 10% only, or even less than 10%, depend on many factors.

Image 3- Stacks of hay in the corner

In addition to nutritious value, people look for dryness of hay. We might wonder: Why?

It is because dryness relates to quality, since wet hay means easy to be destroyed or rotten by mold.

To be easy to be dried and stored, many people choose round than square bales. Round bales also easier to wrap with plastic.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Is America still Nation Producing Cotton?

You might be knowing the song title “Cotton Field” written by Huddie Ledbetter in 1940 to “depict” life in the states that produce cotton.

Fig 01- Cotton field in Mississippi

The USA is a prominent country to produce white cotton in the world around 1800’s., but now, India and China are the most to produce cotton.

If we travel to southern states such as Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama or Tennessee nowadays, then we will see cotton fields along the roads.

It seems “cotton is back!”

In 2021, America has produced 17.8 million bales cotton, equal to 4.3 million metric tons.

Fig 02- Pitcher, just for illustration

Fig 03- Stalks with white cotton

Two top cotton production countries in the world as of 2022:

- China, 6.4 million tons

- India, 6.2 million tons

My understanding, cotton is used for textile industries extensively to produce many things from clothes to bed sheets to towel to jackets and many more.

Interestingly, cotton is also used for other purposes: cotton seeds for animal food, plastics, oil, rubber and human cosmetics.

Have you ever seen cotton field?

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Cutting the Tree Before Hurricane Coming – Part 2

You may read the previous post (Part 1):

- Cutting the Tree Before Hurricane Coming – Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Special truck ready to cut the trees

In addition to strong wind, hurricane could cause surge along coastline up to 3.4 m (11 feet).

Then, followed by long rainfall which could be days. Sure, the result might be flooding everywhere.

We wonder whether our trees could stand up by this kind of hurricane, thus we call a tree removal, pruning or trimming company in our city.

Fig 02- A fallen tree after hurricane, illustration

Fig 03- A squirrel loves to play under trees

Fig 04- Cutting into pieces.

The company sent a truck with special equipment. It was take several hours only (less than a day):

- to cut trees down

- chopping the trunk (log) into pieces

- clean all debris

- haul the woods away

- or store the pieces for using in cold winter

Hopefully, we could replace the removal trees to new ones (baby trees) in the next near future.

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Small Business at Nearby Neighborhood – Part 2

You may read previous post (Part 1):

- Small Business at Nearby our Neighborhood – Part 1 | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Donuts sold in the shop

We love to eat in our favorite restaurants before covid 19 pandemic. Some provided international or certain ethnic menus.

For breakfast, we bought donuts sometimes. Sure, we consume local ones, not well famous brands such as “Dunkin Donuts.”

The price ranges from US$ 1.66 to US$ 15.99 for a dozen donuts, reasonable price, we guess.

Fig 02- One of my favorite donuts

Fig 03- Local product of Doughnut shop

Some of our Doughnut favorites are:

- Glaze

- Chocolate

- Apple fritter

- Cinnamon role

- Donuts holes

Doughnut's shops could sell coffee, juice, bottle water, soft drinks and other goods for additional profits

How about with local business in your neighborhood?

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Cutting the Tree Before Hurricane Coming – Part 1

Our state, Louisiana is one of states hit most by hurricanes. Totally 54 hurricanes since 1851 with categories range from 3 to 5.

Fig- 01- Busted and broken tree.

We have 3 trees in front of our house. Squirrels, birds and some other critters use these trees as their:

- shelter

- play areas (branches)

- site for reproduction (nesting for birds)

- resting

- hiding from predators

- source of foods

Fig 02- An insect on the leave

We love to observe these critters, usually in the morning or afternoon while drinking a cup of coffee or tea.

Fig- 03- Falling part of broken tree

Unfortunately, the trees seem have been “decayed” due to fungi diseases, and even one of them busted and destroyed recently.

We got hurricane Ida last year. Our neighborhood not really in good shape yet like before disaster.

Then, we decided to cut all these trees down, the day before hurricane Ida “visit” our areas.

This Hurricane was estimated as category 3, where the wind could reach 115 mph (185 km per hour). Deadly wind actually.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Hay Stacks in the Small Farmer Market

I know that hay is food for livestock such as cows, horses and sheep in the winter or during long drought.

Fig 01- Look heavier stacks of hay

But, I just get new knowledge that other function of hay stacks is for erosion control or for landscaping called as a straw hay.

Hay for food has two types:

- lighter

- and heavier

In my opinion that both types are fairly cheap in respect for price.

The heavier ones contain higher protein. In addition to nutritious value, people look for dryness of hay.

Fig 02- Public area in our neighborhood

Fig 03- Lighter hay in the farmer market

Dryness relates to quality, since wet hay means easy to be destroyed or rotten by mold.

To be easy to be dried and stored, many people choose round than square bales. Round bales also easier to wrap with plastic.

I saw in the small farmer market not in great number of hay stacks, may be not sold for farmers or ranchers, but for individuals who feed their pets such as rabbit and deer or for decoration purposes only.

I found square hay only, no round bales. The size might be 40 pounds (20 kg), not that big and heavy. It might be due to storage capacity of market.

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Small Business at Nearby our Neighborhood – Part 1

No surprise for me that about 60 million people work in the small business. It is about 47% of private workforce in the USA.

Fig 01- A sign of donuts shop.

We see many small businesses nearby our neighborhood, and it seems growing well in recent years. I think you may guess why.

Sure, we are a subscriber of car services, a small business with local labors in our neighborhood, the services include:

- car washing

- oil changes

- tires replacement

- and windshield repair.

Fig 02- A homemade cake

Fig 03- Purple bell peppers, a local produce

Fig 04- A lawn care service

Other service from neighbors that we have been using, just few examples of them are:

- Tax Preparation and Bookkeeping

- Cleaning Services

- Online Tutoring

- Catering Services, Mobile Hairdresser Services and Small engines repair

Local produces are sold in small groceries, ethnic shops, and farmer markets. They are cheap and fresh.

# To be continued to Part 2

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Are Rattan End Products Expensive than Plastic?

We talked about Rattan End Products in the USA Market at previous posting:

- Rattan End Products Sold in the USA Market | Tanza Erlambang Update

Fig 01- Another end product of rattan

Compared to plastic, sure, price of rattan end product is expensive. Just for an example:

- small plastic baskets cost less than US$1

- whereas rattan material (with almost the same size and shape) could reach more than US$ 15.

Fig 02- Pride of Barbados or Mexican lantana

Fig 03- Rattan dining patio set sold by Walmart

People said that some of the reasons why rattan end products quite expensive than other materials:

- strong and durable

- workmanship standard

- quality

If we look after and avoid from outdoor elements (such as rain or wet), rattan furniture may last from 5 years to 10 years.

However, in many cases, rattan furniture just survive around 5 years.

Do you have rattan end products at your home?

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