Not sure how this works, but it’s likely details will follow:

[SOURCE]

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Texas-based ConocoPhillips announced last year they were restructuring their labor force and anticipated a 20-25% reduction in overall workers.

Now, given the nature of energy policy impacts to private industry, where do you think a major oil-gas company would first consider cutting jobs.  Common sense would tell you, the first regions to be reviewed would be those regions hostile to the exploitation of the product the corporation brings to market.

Thus, reductions in workforce and operational capacity are not only determined by contract leasing, but also by the regulatory environment that surrounds the business. Add the political hostility to the business sector at issue and you end up with a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Advance anti-oil/gas policy and you get less oil/gas business investment.

Oct 26 (Reuters) – ConocoPhillips has informed its staff of a reduction ​to its workforce in Canada, a ‌spokesperson for the oil and gas producer said on Monday. The reduction includes employees and ​contractors and is set to take ​place on Tuesday, the spokesperson added.

However, the ⁠Houston, Texas-based company did not disclose ​how many jobs were affected. ConocoPhillips has ​about 9,900 employees globally, according to its 2025 annual report.

“We routinely review our organization to align ​with our long-term strategy, operate safely ​and efficiently, and remain well-positioned for future opportunities,” the ‌spokesperson ⁠said. (more)

While there are many ideological factors involved in the ‘western’ political opposition to the Russian Federation as a nation, I am of the opinion that one of the significant facets is the scale and scope of Russia’s oil/gas development.

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Those who have followed the NAFTA/USMCA storyline will remember that Volkswagen made a strategic bet on North America when it decided to expand production into Mexico for the Audi Q5 mid-size SUV brand. That was an analytical mistake as Audi does not make any vehicles inside the USA.

The Volkswagen leadership have made several blunders since that initial decision to open plants in Mexico. The massive push on EVs without understanding the USA market was a strategic mistake. The decision to align financial survival with a deep Chinese partnership was another.

Meanwhile, back in both Brussels and Germany the political calculus around energy policy was catastrophic for the entire auto industry. The costs of industrial production skyrocketed, making the price of SUVs for the U.S. market far above the consumer’s pocketbook, and a pre-existing 25% tariff on Trucks/SUVs made things worse.

Essentially, every decision made by Volkswagen/Audi with the North American market in mind was exactly the opposite of what they should have done. In Germany the entire Volkswagen family of autos is shedding 100,000 jobs in a desperate restructuring effort. However, Audi is now looking at North America again and trying to correct their previous mistakes.

President Donald Trump and Audi Chief Executive Gernot Döllner

Audi is now announcing a $4 billion investment in an SUV manufacturing plant in Macon, Georgia. The facility will make the Q7, Q8 and Q9 SUV models in Georgia with the Q5 remaining in Mexico (for now).

GEORGIA – German automaker Audi has announced plans to invest $4 billion in its first American production facility, to be built in Georgia, with the goal of manufacturing up to 200,000 vehicles annually and creating about 4,500 jobs. The decision was revealed during a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, where President Donald Trump and Audi Chief Executive Gernot Döllner appeared together on stage, highlighting the significance of the investment for both the region and the company.

Construction on the new plant at the Middle Georgia Mega Site is expected to begin in 2027, with the first vehicles rolling off the assembly line in the early 2030s. The facility aims to produce premium SUVs specifically tailored for North American customers, establishing North America as Audi’s third major production pillar alongside Europe and China.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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Brazil’s presidential election concludes with the final round today. Nationalist Senator Flávio Bolsonaro faces incumbent Socialist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the runoff election that will determine the country’s next president.

The race remains close in the final pre-election polls. The first official results are expected after polling stations close in Brazil at 5:00pm (local) 4:00pm (US Eastern).

You can find election results at Brazil Election Map HERE

Alternative Link to Election discussion and Results HERE

CNN Election Results Broadcast from Brazil HERE

Consider this an open discussion thread for your thoughts, reviews, analysis and opinion of the biggest contest in Latin America in years.  If you know of a solid election results link, feel free to share in the comments.

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Earlier today former President Barack Obama was campaigning for Abdul El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood in Detroit, Michigan.  This is good news for Republican Senate Candidate Mike Rogers as it means the DNC are very worried about black voters not turning out for the communist, El-Sayed.  Barack Obama is always triggered for races where the DNC need to get black voters to vote; that is his target audience.

To counter the Obama effort, President Trump is holding a rally to support Mike Rogers who is now leading in the polls as election day nears.  Livestream links of the rally are below, and the anticipated start time is 2:00pm Eastern.

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Attorney General Todd Blanche appears on CBS to counter the narrative being advanced by Face the Nation’s Margaret Brennan.  The ever-insufferable Brennan tried her hardest to push a false storyline about the DOJ trying to interfere in the Alaska election.  The Video and Transcript are below:

[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: And we begin with U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. Good morning to you, sir.

ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD BLANCHE: Good morning.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So we’re nine days out. Your colleague Harmeet Dhillon, whose office would oversee election integrity cases, told my colleagues over at 60 Minutes that, quote, “absent some shocking contingency that’s unexpected, there should be no interruption in the usual course of counting and certifying the results in the states.” Do you share that view?

AG BLANCHE: Well, yes, of course. Absent- absent some facts that require us to do otherwise, there’s President Trump, the Department of Justice- we don’t want to have to get a law involved in elections, of course not. But that doesn’t mean that at times any Justice Department doesn’t do that and shouldn’t do that if the facts and the law require it.

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President Trump pauses to answer questions from the media as he departs Joint Base Andrews for a MAGA rally in Michigan. President Trump calls the DSA/Muslim Brotherhood senate candidate, Abdulrahman Mohamed El‑Sayed, a “jihadist”.  WATCH:

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Attorney General Todd Blanche appears on CNN to discuss the senate race in Alaska where Democrats (including *Lisa Murkowski) are intentionally running a candidate with a duplicate name in order to confuse and diminish votes for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan.

As Todd Blanche deconstructs the Dana Bash narrative, the CNN host is urgently being handed talking points (in real time) just off screen.  You can see the notes coming in at the 7:11 moment of the video, as Bash prepares to use them in her follow-up questioning.  This type of media activity is exactly why CNN and others should be considered fake news.  WATCH: 

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