Saturday, December 16, 2017

Verboten words: The increasingly bizarre and farcical presidency of Donald Trump (contract bridge players will no longer be 'vulnerable')




CDC gets list of forbidden words: Fetus, transgender, diversity. (Washington Post, 12/15/2017)

Your 2,656-calorie order is ready, Mr. President


McDonald collage from Twitter (Andrew Lyons)

A Campaign Memoir That Shows Trump, at Least Partly, as He Is.  (The New York Times, 12/11/2017)
But the authors are also the first Trump aides to put their names to stories about the campaign’s internal dynamics and to describe some notorious habits of Mr. Trump’s, like his preferences for lunch: He really did eat a lunch of two Big Macs, two Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and a chocolate shake, which he would call a “malted.” “Do you think I deserve a malted today? I think I deserve one,” Mr. Trump would say after a hard-charging day of appearances.

Climate change as a matter of fact: U.S. Department of Defense




U.S. Military Not Doing Enough to Prepare Bases for Climate Change, GAO Warns.  (Inside Climate News, 12/14/2017)
The auditing arm of Congress has warned that the military is failing to adequately plan for the risks that climate change poses to hundreds of overseas facilities, and that engineers at these sites rarely include foreseeable impacts in project designs.  
The Government Accountability Office, Congress's nonpartisan oversight agency, wrote that while the Defense Department has identified that climate change and its effects will threaten many of its facilities, these installations are not consistently tracking costs they're already incurring because of extreme weather.

Previous climate change as a matter of fact posts:
Shrinking sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.  (12/14/2017)
Emaciated polar bear.  (12/9/2017)
California fires.  (12/8/2017)
Wisconsin.  (11/16/2017)
Hampton Roads, Virginia.  (11/4/2017)
U.S. military bases.  (9/22/2017)
Georgia peach orchards.  (9/18/2017)
Northeast U.S. pine forests.  (8/29/2017)
Tangier Island, Virginia.  (8/25/2017)
South of the Arctic Circle in Alaska. (8/25/2017)
New Orleans.  (8/12/2017)
Kenya.  (7/23/2017)
Portugal.  (6/19/2017)
The Netherlands.  (6/19/2017)
Brazil.  (6/8/2017)
Global Seed Vault on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.  (5/20/2017)
Madeline Island, Wisconsin.  (2/23/2017)
Mexico City.  (2/19/2017)
Kansas.  (1/29/2017)
Moose of Maine.  (1/21/2017)
Florida Keys.  (1/14/2017)
California wine country.  (1/11/2017)
Kaktovik, Alaska.  (12/20/2016)
Bolivia.  (7/11/2016)
Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park.  (7/7/2016)
Kiribati.  (7/6/2016)
Peru,  (5/21/2016)

Susan Schmader Warner (1940-2017) Warren High School class of 1958



1958 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory
  • [county section] Schmader Casimer 5 Cobham Park rd
  • [county section] Schmader Susan 5 Cobham Park rd
  • Schmader Wayne C (Lorena L) driver Masterson Trucking r39 Hemlock
  • Schmader Wm S (Charmaine L) asst supt Pennsylvania Railroad h61 McKinley av
1983 Warren City Directory
  • Schmader Debra sls clk Earring Tree h23 Plum St
  • Schmader Dennis L & Mary J; driver Fitzgerald h623 Prospect St
  • Schmader James & Debra J; emp Deluxe Metal h 23 Plum St
  • Schmader Wayne C emp Flickinger's (Falconer NY) h39 Hemlock St
  • Schmader Wm S & Lawanda C; emp Warren County h417 Rankin Av
  • [county section] Warner Dan 130 Race St Sugar Grove
  • [county section] Warner Susan 130 Race St Sugar Grove

The popularity of Susan, still in decline (down to 922), as a baby name is graphed here.  Let's take a look at Kathleen.  
During the 20th century, Kathleen spent 72 years (1918, 1920-1990) in the top 100, four of those (1948-1951) in the top 10, peaking at #90 in 1949.   So far in the 21st century, she's experiencing a precipitous decline.

Other class of 1958 members.
Mary Ann Campagna Cross.  (9/19/2017)
Sally Jones Darling.  (9/7/2017)
Jack Colvin.  (12/14/2016)
Thomas Gerarde.  (11/11/2015)
John "Jack" Suppa.  (10/10/2015)
Susan Mead Mastrangiola.  (8/6/2015)
Barbara Baldensperger.  (6/21/2015)
Dennis Morell (3/8/2015)
Joyce Black Wohlers.  (3/16/2014)
Susan Leonard Anderson.  (3/15/2014)
Doris Musante.  (1/9/2014)

The Donald Trump dis and dismantle UPDATE: Trump administration shits on workers again, overturns Obama-era rule


Worker-friendly rule overturned by NLRB.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/15/2017)

10/14/2017 update, " A group of mostly white folks applaud Trump", starts here.

Photo of Doug Mills photo by Retiring Guy

Trump to Scrap Critical Health Care Subsidies, Hitting Obamacare Again.  (The New York Times, 10/12/2017)
It's personal.  Very personal.  The twin hits to the Affordable Care Act could unravel President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, sending insurance premiums soaring and insurance companies fleeing from the health law’s online marketplaces. After Republicans failed to repeal the health law in Congress, Mr. Trump appears determined to dismantle it on his own.


9/11/2017 update, "Title IX", starts here.


Reported in The Trump Administration is Siding with Rapits.  (Wear Your Voice, 9/10/2017)


8/28/2017 update, "EPA sez goodbye to Climate Leadership", starts here.


EPA Says It Will Stop Sponsoring Annual Climate Leadership Awards.  (International Business Times, 8/26/2017)



8/18/2017 update, "The how-petty-can-you-get edition", starts here.



Obama’s administration requested a Bikeshare station at the White House. Trump’s team just had it removed.  (Washington Post, 8/16/2017)
The Trump administration has dismantled aspects of Obama’s legacy, big and small — including the Capital Bikeshare station that was installed on the White House grounds at the request of the Obama administration.


7/18/2017 update, "Fossil fuel maniac at EPA" starts here.


Reported in


7/16/2017 update, "The global warming scrub-a-dub-dub continues", starts here.


Print headline:  Greenhouse Gases Increase, but Scientists at NOAA Say 'It's Complicated'.  (The New York Times, 7/13/2017)

7/12/2017 update, "Getting rid of some of those pesky bank regulations", starts here.


Reported in These Are the Top Obama Era Regulations at Risk From Trump's New Bank Supervisor Pick.  (The Street, 7/11/2017)

Quarles maanges the Cynosure Group, a private equity firm.


7/7/2017 update, " The Washington Examimer cheers him on", starts here.




From the above.

White House Council on Women and Girls.


6/29/2017 update starts here.

Bears Ears, established by President Barack Obama in December, is about the size of Delaware, covering roughly 2,000 square miles (5,300 square kilometers). It protects more than 100,000 archaeological sites on what's considered sacred tribal land in southeastern Utah. 
A largely GOP group of Utah officials wants the monument repealed and see it as an overly broad, unnecessary layer of federal control that closes off the area to energy development and other access.




6/24/2017 update starts here.

There is evidence from the past few months to suggest that Hogshead-Makar’s warning is not merely hyperbole. Trump’s budget proposal recommends a seven percent budget reduction for the Office for Civil Rights, which would force the department to slash approximately 27 jobs at a time when Title IX complaints are on the rise. The ratio of Title IX cases per investigative staff members in the OCR was 41 to 1 in fiscal year 2016, and that ratio will only become more lopsided if these cuts go into effect. 
Additionally, DeVos has named Candice Jackson — a woman who once insisted she faced discrimination because she is white — as the deputy assistant secretary of the Office for Civil Rights. And DeVos has shown no signs that she will fight for members of any marginalized community. 
If a law is only as good as its enforcement, then Title IX is in trouble.


6/23/2017 update starts here.

ars technica, 6/22/2017
Allowing for some type of "startup visa" has long been a request of Silicon Valley advocates and lobbyists. More than 50 percent of startups worth $1 billion or more were founded by immigrants, according to a study published last year by the National Foundation for American Policy. Major US tech companies like Google, Yahoo, Intel, and Marvell Technology were all founded by immigrants. 

Original 6/21/2017 post, "Donald Trump really knows how to dis and dismantle. And it's personal, very personal.", start here.















Friday, December 15, 2017

Like Vermin Supreme, Glenn Grothman believes that there should be free ponies for all Americans




"Reported" in Grothman Gets Peek At Latest Tax Reform Package Tonight.  (KFIZ, 12/15/2017)


Other Glenn Grothman posts:
Jul-Dec 2017
A letter sent without fear of retribution.  (12/3/2017)
The insightful Glenn Grothman was talking to a gal.  (11/22/2017)
Dear Dan Kohl, If you substitute 'clownish' for 'partisan', the arrow moves hard right.  (11/9/2017)
The malevolent conservatism and clownish inhumanity of Glenn Grothman.  (10/25/2017)
Glenn Grothman sets a ridiculously low bar regarding hurricane aid to Puerto Rico.  (10/24/2017)
Glenn Grothman demands that a border wall be built.  (8/31/2017)
Here's something on which Glenn Grothman and I agree.  (8/10/2017)
Glenn Grothman wants us all to die.  Or not to fly.  (7/20/2017)
Short-term memory loss and The Glenn Grothman 24/7 Clown Show.  (7/15/2017) 
Steady drip-drip-drip inside Glenn Grothman's head vs. steady drip-drip-drip of evidence Russian collusion.  (7/13/2017)

Apr-Jun 2017
Glenn Grothman gives a big thumbs up to Pennsylvania's congressional districts.  (6/22/2017)
Glenn Grothman on the Paris Accord:  The blithering goes on.  (6/7/2017)
Dear Glenn Grothman, Not that anyone is listening to you.  (6/5/2017)
Oh, yeah, I just bet he does.   (6/1/2017)
It's bromance time for Glenn Grothman, sez Greg Gianforte seems like a good guy.  (5/26/2017)
At Glenn Grothman's groan-inducing town hall.  (5/2/2017)
51 U.S. House members implore Trump to legalize LGBT discrimination.  (4/27/2017)
At KFIZ, everybody loves a clown.  (4/17/2017)
Wishful thinking: Glenn Grothman does a little Mick Jagger at the podium during Sheboygan listening session.  (4/11/2017).

Jan-Mar 2017
What DO they think of Glenn Grothman on Capitol Hill?  (1/31/2017)
Not a Muslim ban, Glenn Grothman? The numbers indicate otherwise.  (1/31/2017)
On the other hand, some might say we do need Congressmen, but we can not have the wrong Congressmen.  (1/2/2017)

2016
The conservative values of Glenn Grothman, straight shooter and exemplary public servant.  (10/30/20176
GOP donor and Neenah realtor pens letter to editor, praises Glenn Grothman.  (10/28/2016)
Well, Glenn Grothman, looks as though Donald Trump and Paul Ryan won't accompany Mr. Gumpy on his outing.  (10/20/2016)
Meet the 3 Stooges who introduced Donald Trump at yesterday's rally in Green Bay.  (10/18/2016)
Likely to be other reasons why Trump and Glenn Grothman's relationship might be "less than perfect".  (10/13/2016)
Glenn Grothman raises GOP specter of black bogeyman Al Sharpton.  (7/14/2016)
Recommended reading from Glenn Grothman.  (3/3/2016)
Once again, Grothman does the blah blah blah.  (1/13/2016)

2015
Tea Party alert: Glenn Grothman supports increase in federal gas tax.  (12/29/2015)
Glenn Grothman's moving service.  (11/16/2015)
Glenn Grothman: Still trying to get to 'yes' with Paul Ryan.  (10/18/2015) 
Dear Glenn Grothman, Breaking up is hard to do.  (10/17/2015) 
He's a guy, and has access to 'all machines that one would need'.  (9/29/2015) 
Meet the Members of the Republican Study Committee: Glenn Grothman (R-WI, 6th District).  (8/18/2015)
What about seeing the light, Representative Grothman?  (8/11/2015)
Glenn Grothman's gibberish in full flower.  (7/1/2015)
Rep. Glenn Grothman puts corporate personhood first.  (6/23/2015)
Glenn Grothman Finds His Voice in Washington, D.C. (6/19/2015)
Glenn Grothman goes seriously bland on us.  (5/12/2015)
Glenn Grothman's lips are zipped.  (4/9/2015)
Glenn Grothman Speaks the Language of the Godfather of states' rights.  (1/13/2015)

2014
Glenn Grothman, Quiet Man.  (10/12/2014)
Tom Petri returns the favor to Glenn Grothman.  (9/5/2014)
Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District primary: Less than 12% of voters paid attention.  (8/24/2014)
Hey guys and gals, Scott Walker is not 100% convinced that Glenn Grothman can win the 6th CD. (8/23/2014)
Career politician Glenn Grothman moves one step closer to Wisconsin's 6th Congressional District general election.  (8/22/2014)
To the tune of $692,000.   (8/14/2014)
Glenn Grothman:  A man without a mandate.  (8/14/2014)
Glenn Grothman to Tom Petri: Thank you for your 35 years of service.  (8/1/2014)
Duey Stroebel can't be bothered with fundraising, looks to buy seat instead.  (8/1/2014)
Clearly, "common-sense bills" and "Grothman" should never be used in the same sentence.(7/9/2014)
Two career politicians pledge limited service in the U.S. House of Representatives.  (7/8/2014)


UPDATE: The Wisconn Valley Way to Wisconsin's fiscal and moral bankruptcy


Haven't heard the alarm bells yet?  You're not paying attention.

From $30 million to $134 million in a single day.  Who knows what tomorrow might bring.

Photo credit:  Ricardo Torres, Racine Journal Times (text box added)

Fiscal bureau: Foxconn roads could draw $134 million from other state highway projects.  (Wisconsin State Journal, 12/15/2017)

Hello, Taylor County!  Feeling snookered yet?


Second 12/15/2016 update, "$30 million from Wisconsin transportation fund to pay for more lanes of traffic congestion to accompany Foxconn project", starts here.


DOT officials to spend up to $30 million on new four-lane road for Foxconn.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/15/2017)


Original 12/15/2017 post, "More lanes of traffic congestion to accompany Foxconn project", starts here.


DOT previews I-94 and Foxconn roadways.  (Racine Journal Times, 12/14/2017)

Other Foxconn posts:
December 2017
Scott Walker, meet Andrew Ng, who wants to help Foxconn bring intelligence displayed by machines to Racine County.  (12/14/2017)
Billions for Foxconn but a raw deal for Mount Pleasant residents John and Kim Mahoney.  (12/13/2017)
Some residents of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois will help to foot the bill for a $140,000,000 Foxconn campus electrical substation.  (12/12/2017)
A deafening silence: What role will robotics play at Foxconn's Mount Pleasant manufacturing plant?  (12/12/2017)
Inquiring minds want to know why driverless technology wasn't discussed during Foxconn contract negoatiations, Scott Walker.  (12/12/2017)
Donald Trump and Terry Gou: Scott Walker loves these two peas in a pod.  (12/9/2017)
Reggie White:Green Bay Packers:: Foxconn:Wisconsin (Scott Walker analogy reveals his crazed desperation).  (8/10/2017)

Leona Mead Harrington (1941-2017) Warren High School class of 1959



1959 Dragon yearbook


1967 Warren City Directory
  • Harrington John C (Leona M) Asst Trust Officer, Warren National Bank, h102 Brook
  • [county section] Mead Gail Clarendon
  • [county section] Mead Myra Clarendon
1983 Warren City Director


The popularity of Leona as a baby name is graphed here.  Let's look at Myra.

Source:  Social Security Administration

A steady but unspectacular Myra spent all but a few years of the first 6 decades of the 20th century in the 200s range,  She subsequently stumbled into the 21st century, disappeared for 5 years, and since 2009 is showing signs of making a strong comeback.

Other members of the class of '59
Martha Cline Peed.  (9/6/2017)
Carla Mae Gay.  (8/1/2017)
Sharron Lord Rose.  (6/29/2017)
Helen Long Sykes.  (5/24/2017)
William Sweigert.  (4/23/2017)
Raymond Kane.  (1/7/2017)
Suzanne Spattifor Carlson.  (6/27/2016)
David Valone.  (3/7/2015)
Daniel Otterbein.  (9/20/2014)
Jeanne Williams.  (5/25/2014)
Clara Swanson Carlson.  (5/22/2014)

For African-Americans in Alabama, there is no turning back the clock


Source:  Famous Trials

Black Voters in Alabama Pushed Back Against the Past.  (The New York Times, 12/13/2017)
“There’s no state in America where black people recognize the horrors of turning back the clock more than the State of Alabama,” said Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, which is based in Montgomery. “There is a consciousness about this history in the African-American community.”  [emphasis added]
“You can’t go two miles without some Confederate emblem or icon or flag taunting you.” He added: “It’s not a fantasy in this state to say we want to turn back the clock.’’

 Modern Civil Rights Movement in Alabama.  (Encyclopedia of Alabama)
  • Montomgery bus boycott (1955056)
  • Alabama Christian movement for civil erights
  • Tuskegee's fight for voting rights
  • Sit-ins and freedom rides
  • The struggle in Birmingham
  • Stand in the schoolhouse door
  • Selma
  • Rise of the black power movement




UPDATE: Our GOP-controlled legislative and executive branches tax dollars at work


Scott Walker clearly wnats to partner with Donald Trump to let for-profit colleges run wild.

Postcard from Retiring Guy's collection


Related reading:
The money behind Scott Walker's laxity toward for-profit colleges.  (Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, 2/6/2015)
For-profit colleges love Walker.  (Urban Milwaukee, 2/23/2017)
Walker Accepted $63K+ from For-Profit Colleges Before Dumping State Watchdog.  (Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, 10/9/2017)


Original 12/14/2017 post, "Our GOP-controlled congressional tax dollars at work", starts here.

Postcard from Retiring Guy's collection

Reported in New Higher Education Bill Rolls Back Obama-Era Safeguards.  (The New York Times, 12/11/2017)

CES 2018 preview: Honda powers up the empathy experience




Honda welcomes our warm and fuzzy robot overlords to CES 2018.  (Road/Show CES, 12/14/2017)
The company calls this new line its 3E Robotics Concept and will represent it with four potential future products, each addressing a societal need. 
And, in customary Japanese fashion, Honda makes a big effort to humanize these robotic devices, most notably with the 3E-A18 robot [at left in screenshot], designed to show "compassion to humans with a variety of facial expressions."

'Adorable' is a frequently employed adjective to describe these robots.

Their faltering follow-up to their #1 "My Boyfriend's Back", "I Adore Him" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 26, 1963.  It spent 7 weeks on the chart, peaking at #25



Other CES 2018 preview posts:
SignAll, an automated sign language translator.  (12/13/2017) 
Homni sleep solution.  (12/11/2017)
Guz 2 electronic dartboard connects you to the world.  (11/22/2017)
I assume the SureFly will also be able to carry women.  (11/21/2017)
Now you can party every day and rock all night at any age.  (11/17/2017)
Pointivo.  (11/17/2017)
Jibo, the social robot, makes the cover of TIME.  (11/17/2017)

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Scott Walker, meet Andrew Ng, who wants to help Foxconn bring intelligence displayed by machines to Racine County


Or perhaps Terry Gou has already told you about him.

Photo credit:  Andrew Ng
(text emphasis added)

The researcher who  bring AI to factories.  (WIRED, 12/14/2017)

Other Foxconn posts:
December 2017
Billions for Foxconn but a raw deal for Mount Pleasant residents John and Kim Mahoney.  (12/13/2017)
Some residents of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois will help to foot the bill for a $140,000,000 Foxconn campus electrical substation.  (12/12/2017)
A deafening silence: What role will robotics play at Foxconn's Mount Pleasant manufacturing plant?  (12/12/2017)
Inquiring minds want to know why driverless technology wasn't discussed during Foxconn contract negoatiations, Scott Walker.  (12/12/2017)
Donald Trump and Terry Gou: Scott Walker loves these two peas in a pod.  (12/9/2017)
Reggie White:Green Bay Packers:: Foxconn:Wisconsin (Scott Walker analogy reveals his crazed desperation).  (8/10/2017)

Walmart offers employees pay in advance as opposed to bigger paychecks


Walmart wage info found at glassdoor

Walmart Will Let Its 1.4 Million Workers Take Their Pay Before Payday.  (The New York Times, 12/13/2017)

Many of the occupations with most job growth -- 7 of the top 11 -- pay less than $30,000 per year