Truckers Roll By

While I was sweeping my walk on Monday morning,I heard a lot of angry truckers blasting their horns as they passed by my town.They were headed to Washington,D.C. to protest the high price of diesel.The horns didn't bother me.I couldn't see the truckers,but I heard them express what they understandably felt.It was a bit of economic history in sound.

Marines Roll In

Since March,some 3,000 U.S. Marines have been rolling over the desert into Helmand Province,Afghanistan.They have been building up supplies at remote bases,preparing for the seventh spring offensive by the Taliban since the war began.NATO has fought the Taliban to a standstill in the province.A British soldier said he was definitely feeling better with the Marines there.Some of the Marines,members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit,swept into a village in this southern province by helicopter and humvee,then patrolled on foot,expecting improvised explosive devices at every turn.

Upgrades

Morgan Stanley(MS) has upgraded Schlumberger(SLB) to overweight from equal weight.Credit Suisse(CS) has upgraded Tenet Healthcare(THC) to outperform from neutral.

Ships Status Report

Aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy(CV67) was decommissioned on 1 August,2007.She is being held for detention.Destroyer USS Kidd(DDG 100) was commissioned on 30 May,2007 in Pascagoula,Mississippi.She is homeported in San Diego.Amphibious warfare ship USS New York(LPD 21) is to be launched in December.As I reported earlier,she was commissioned in March in Avondale,Louisiana.

Upgrades

Friedman,Billings and Ramsey(FBR) has upgraded Trina Solar(TSL) to market perform from underperform.HSBC has upgraded Freeport McMoran(FCX) to overweight from neutral.

Carrier Series

The carrier special I mentioned earlier is actually a 10 hour series.It was filmed on board the USS Nimitz.Check your T.V. guide for details on this PBS broadcast,which will air beginning April 27 in the Washington,D.C. area.

Navy Motocross

Over the weekend,the Navy sponsored a dirt bike competition.The Navy Moto X World Championships were held at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.ESPN carried the event,which the Navy used as a recruiting tool.It ran several ads on the broadcast emphasizing the adventurous side of Navy life.The event itself was a perfect fit for the Navy's slogan "Accelerate your life."The Best Trick competition was won by Scott Murray.Matt Buyton won the Step-up event,and Broc Hepler took the gold helmet in the Moto X Final.I didn't think I'd like it,but I found it did have a certain apppeal in the end.A dirt bike event is a good diversion,as well as a magnet for potential recruits.