You have probably already heard but the headline on Yahoo! Finanace says it all: Ashland Signs Amended Agreement to Transfer Interest in MAP to Marathon for $3.7 Billion. Basically, Marathon Oil is buying up the part of the Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC joint venture that it didn't already own. When the first version of this deal didn't receive a favorable ruling from the IRS I knew it was only a matter of time until an amended deal was signed. I wonder what Marathon Oil will name its wholly owned refining, marketing, and transporting subsidiary. I propose the acronym, "MOP", standing for Marathon Oil Petroleum LLC.
My personal opinion is that once this deal has been completed, Marathon Oil (MOC) itself will be a takeover target. After all, CEO Clarence Cazalot himself told Wall Street he would sell the company to the highest bidder:
“We're for sale every day on the New York Stock Exchange,” Mr Cazalot said. “And certainly if someone wants to come in and pay a premium over what is trading on the New York Stock Exchange, our board would be interested.” We all know that drilling for oil is most successful when completed on the floor of the New York stock exchange.
I decided to sell my Infiniti i30 before it turned 190,000 miles. It was a great car and only required preventive maintenance.
What am I going to replace the i30 with? *drum roll please*
Dissecting the new VIN:
WAUED24B9YN123456
W = Germany (Manufacturer Identifier)
AU = Audi (Manufacturer Identifier)
ED24B = A6 2.7T Q (Model)
9 = 9 (Check Digit - which probably doesn't checksum properly in this example)
Y= 2000 (Year Code)
N = Neckarsulm (Plant Code)
123456 = Serial Number
My 2000 Audi A6 2.7T Quattro is an awesome machine. Firstly, it has an 11 speaker Bose Symphony sound system. Second, it has Audi's signature Quattro all wheel drive system. Third, it is powered by a bi-turbo charged V6 with an automatic drive train. It is even equipped with Tiptonic style shifting if you enjoy picking out the proper gear for a given situation.
Woo Hoo!
I recall hearing "JP II We Love You" being chanted. I was lucky and won tickets to see Pope John Paul II in St. Louis (in January of 1999). A bunch of us from St. Mary's parish in Oxford drove a van down. It was a wonderful experience and I saw the pope close up as he rode by in the german built Pope-Mobile. He looked like he rather interact with the crowd more closely, but his security detail had forced him into the bullet proof bubble-like vehicle.
I volunteered for the 2000 Jubilee Year and went to Rome with several of my friends from Miami University. We distributed Jubilee materials and bibles, did a couple service projects, and some sightseeing. We were conversing with the Swiss guard (those nice guys that form the Pope's private guard and dress in interesting outfits that were supposedly designed by Michelangelo) and found out that the Pope was at his summer residence and we could obtain tickets to see him later in the week. We seized the opportunity and saw the Pope at Castle Gandolfo.
He was truly a remarkable and courageous man that followed in the foot steps of Christ. I was always impressed that he visited the man (in prison) who tried to assassinate him and told him that he forgave him. He reached out to all peoples and tried to respectfully and lovingly led them to Christ, their Savior.
JP II We Love You!