Monday, December 31, 2018

Disappearing U.S. city of the day: Baltimore, Maryland



Baltimore's population peaked in 1950 at 949,708. Its 2017 estimated population is 611,648 -- a drop of 338,060, or 35.6% 

Source:  Wikipedia

No city is an island.  The current estimated opulation of the Baltimore metropolitan area is 2,798,866, which is up 3.3% from 2010.

Trump is toast



More specifically...
  • 22% would definitely back Trump
  • 11% would likely  back Trump
  • 33% would definitely vote for Democratic opponent
  • 11% would likely vote for Democratic opponent
  • 11% would vote for other candidate 
  • 13% unsure


Then we havev this poll at the height of the Tea Party frenzy


Other not quite apples-to-apples findings:

  • 44% plan to vote for someone else
  • 13% considering that option
Obama won 51.1% of the vote in 2012 compared to Romney's 47.2%.  In 2017, Obama left office with a 59% approval rating, according to Gallup, up from 40% at a number of points in 2014.

Trump started out his presidency with a 45%/47% approval/ disapproval ratings and is currently at 39%/55%.

This week in the cereal aisle: Cheerios adds to its long list of flavors


Photo by Retiring Guy

Source:  Wikipedia

Other weeks in the cereal aisle
2018
General Mills offers two flavors of Dippin' Dots.  (11/28/2018)
Kellogg's vanilla latte Frosted Mini-Wheats.  (10/1/2018)
Nutter Butter.  (6/24/2018)
Still a little bit of shelf space provided for boxes of Big Biscuit Shredded Wheat.  (4/3/2018)
Chocolate Frosted Flakes.  (3/30/2018)
It's just peachy, part 2 (with probiotics).  (3/26/2018)
It's just peachy (Cheerios).  (3/25/2018)
Snap, Crackle and Pop shrug off competition from Fancy Friends Cereal Treats.  (2/23/2018)
Lucky Charms wants you to have a daily dose of yellow 5 and blue 1.  (3/9/2018)
The takeover of Mom.  (3/1/2018)
Hoopla over rainbow marshmallows added to Lucky Charms.  (2/22/2018)
Kellogg's Donut Shop in your choice of flavors.  (2/14/2018)
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the shredded wheat go down.  (2/6/2018)
General Mills offers yet another flavor of Cheerios -- chocolate and peanut butter.  (1/30/2018)
I suspect this special edition Cocoa Puffs isn't exactly flying off the shelves.  (1/16/2018)
What's really going on with this General Mills blend.  (1/10/2018)
Giant size bargains to kick off the new year.  (1/3/2018)

2017
Satisfy your craving for chocolate.  (12/22/2017)
Pumpkin Spice runs amok.  (11/7/2017)
Danger lurks.  (11/2/2017)
Dan G. wets himself over Special K Blueberry with Lemon Clusters.  (9/20/2017)
Limited Edition Mocha Crunch.  (7/16/2017)
Kellogg's Frosted Flakes with Marshmallows.  (2/1/2017)
A marriage between General Mills and Girls Scouts of America.  (1/19/2017)

2016
Alpha-Bits is getting squeezed out.  (11/23/2016)
Special K continues to branch out.  (10/23/2016)
Wedding bells chime.  (10/5/2016)
The price of convenience (22.54 cents per ounce).  (8/19/2016)
Make up your mind already!  (8/14/2016)
Remember Nabisco Shredded Wheat?  (7/13/2016)
Features Batman and Superman.  (7/7/2016)
Post wants you to have ice cream for breakfast.  (6/30/2016)
Tiny Toast.  (6/21/2016)

CES 2018: Don't worry, you won't have to throw away your stupid shoes


Only elite athletes need apply.

From 2 years ago


Samsung appears set to announce Smart Shoes at CES 2019.  (MSPoweruser, 12/30/2018)
Samsung has been dabbling with various fitness sensors in clothing and shoes for some years now, and it appears the company may be ready to release a set of trainers with built-in sensors to help elite athletes stay on top of their game.

Related reading:
Does the future of wayfinding involve smart shoes?  (Brand Culture, 11/30/2016)
Imagine a pair of smart shoes that connect wirelessly to your smartphone’s navigation app, like Google Maps or Apple Maps. In countries where the wayfinding signage is in English, locating your destination is easier, but what if you’re in a foreign country where the signage is in another language? When smart shoes become mainstream, you’ll be able to key in the location you want to visit or just key the location of your hotel, and at the end of the day, your smart shoes will find your way home without seeming lost and frazzled.

Other 2019 CES posts:
AVidea Group Safe Zone Gunfire Detector.  (12/5/2018)
FADES auto-darkening eyewear.  (12/7/2018)
Estelle Costanza does not approve of this car porn. (12/12/2018)
Smart smoke detectors.  (12/15/2018)
LG CineBeam Laser 4K projector.  (12/22/2018)
Poopy diaper alarm for harried parents.  (12/25/2018)
Twice breathlessly promotes the "Clash of the Robovacs".  (12/28/2018)

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Dear Richard Jinkins and Alan Jewell, The population of Iowa County peaked in 1870. Best, Retiring Guy


It dwindled from 24,544 in 1870 to 19,306 in 1970, a drop of 21%.

Source:  Wikipedia

Rural Wisconsin county split on solar energy project that would be among largest in nation.  (Wisconsin State Journal, 12/30/2018)
Richard Jinkins lives just east of Wunderlin’s land on a 400-acre farm his family homesteaded in 1848. 
Jinkins, along with Alan Jewell and another nearby farmer, are leading the charge against the project as it goes through the permitting process with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. 
They worry solar panels will destroy the scenic beauty, take valuable farmland out of production for generations and cause the county’s population — just 23,687 people — to dwindle.

Among the Evergleams on 8th, Manitowoc WI

824 S. 8th St.  (#22 on map; see below) 
Photos by Retiring Guy

836 S. 8th St. (#20)

Heart & Homestead, 909 S. 8th St. (#12)

The Seamstress, 929 S. 8th St. (#9)

In the Moment Restorations, 931 S. 9th St. (#8)


Related posts:
Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees on South 8th Street, Manitowoc, Wisconsin (part 1)  (12/30/2018)
Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees on South 8th Street, Manitowoc, Wisconsim (part 2).  (12/30/2018)

Former Schuette Brothers Department Store building in Manitowoc undergoing renovation


Photos by Retiring Guy

Manitowoc business news: Schuette building renovations underway.  (Herald Times Reporter, 10/12/2018)
The plan is for the second and third floors to be apartments, the mayor said, and the first floor will be open for commercial or restaurant development. The entire project should be completed by the end of 2019. 
[Mayor Justin] Nickels noted the city is supporting the work through a tax-incremental finance district, or TIF, a tool by which taxes that would have been collected within the district as a result of increased property values are instead earmarked to cover costs of the redevelopment over the life of the TIF.


Schuette Bros. department store.  (Flicker)
Known for its diversified departments and its pneumatic cash-tube system, the family-owned Schuette Bros. department store was one of the most prominent retail edifices in downtown Manitowoc, Wisconsin for many years.


Everything Must Go.  (Chicago Tribune, 7/18/1994)

Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees on South 8th Street, Manitowoc, Wisconsin (part 2)


During the 1960s, Manitowoc was the center of the universe when it came to the manufacture of aluminum Christmas trees.


Video and photo by Retiring Guy

Manitowoc Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees: 'It’s amazing how the whole thing took off'.  (Herald Times Reporter, 12/13/2018)
“We were selling from a half million to a million trees a year for a while,” recalled Jerry Waak, former head of sales for the company that produced and sold more than 70 percent of the shiny trees in the 1960s


Related reading:
Remember Aluminum Trees? Wisconsin-Made Evergleams Are Making A Comeback.  (WUWM, 12/13/2013)
Aluminum Specialties became the largest manufacturer of the trees; and at its peak – employed 750 people to make Christmas trees that evolved over time. 
"They started out as straight needle and they added the pompom tips and then they did things like frosting the needles – basically crimping aluminum chaff,” Kapler says.

The Mad Hatter, a costume shop, is located at 901 South 8th Street.

Related post:
Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees on South 8th Street, Manitowoc, Wisconsin (part 1).  (12/30/2018)

Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees on South 8th Street, Manitowoc, Wisconsin (part 1)


Manitowoc is home to the Evergleam aluminum Christmas tree.


Videos and photos by Retiring Guy

Manitowoc Evergleam aluminum Christmas trees: 'It’s amazing how the whole thing took off'.  (Herald Times Reporter, 12/13/2018)
“We were selling from a half million to a million trees a year for a while,” recalled Jerry Waak, former head of sales for the company that produced and sold more than 70 percent of the shiny trees in the 1960s

Evergleams on 8th.  Through January 6, 2019



History Sandwiched In:  The History of the Evergleam Aluminum Christmas Tree.  The Wisconsin Historical Museum has offered this program more than once. 



View of the building at 902 South 8th Street


Welcome to upscale. Welcome to the Community of Bishops Bay


8,201 square feet.  Project cost:  $1,340,000
Photos by Retiring Guy

Source:  City of Middleton buidling permits (weekly email via CivicSend)

8,595 square feet.  Project cost:  $730,000

Related posts:
The Commnnity of Bishops Bay.
Phase 5, Town of Westport.



Friday, December 28, 2018

CES 2019: Twice breathlessly promotes the "Clash of the Robovacs"




CES 2019 Preview: Clash Of The Robovacs.  (Twice, 12/18/2018)
Throughout the last year, the retail and online landscape for robotic vacuums has greatly changed with new brands entering retailers’ assortments, as well as existing brands expanding the types of features offered. Through new enhancements and expanding price bands, manufacturers are transitioning vacuuming from a weekly, and sometimes daily, chore to a simple click of a button or touch on a screen for just about any member of the household. And while upright vacuums still represent the greatest shelf share at many retailers, the tide is shifting, pushing robotic vacuums into a new day and age.

Robovac vacuum timeline
  • 1996.  Electrolux offers the first of its kind, the Tribolite (discontinued)
  • 2001.  Dyson gives it a go, but its vac never becomes available for sale due to production costs
  • 2002.  iRobot introduces the Roomba, which now has 52% of the shahre of the robotic vacuum market.


Related reading:
Should You Get a Robot Vacuumm?  (New York, 5/11/2018)
Final verdict.  Don’t ditch your upright vacuum. The robots are best for maintenance on hardwood floors, automatic upkeep throughout entire floor plans, and kid-proofing your home. And you won’t have to deep clean as often. 
“It doesn’t replace physical labor, but it greatly reduces it,” Amos says. “You won’t ever not vacuum again.”

 Other 2019 CES posts:
AVidea Group Safe Zone Gunfire Detector.  (12/5/2018)
FADES auto-darkening eyewear.  (12/7/2018)
Estelle Costanza does not approve of this car porn. (12/12/2018)
Smart smoke detectors.  (12/15/2018)
LG CineBeam Laser 4K projector.  (12/22/2018)
Poopy diaper alarm for harried parents.  (12/25/2018)

Two facts: Fergus Falls is the county seat of Otter Tail County, one of 4 Minnesota counties that voted for Barry Goldwater in 1964


Minnesota Town Defamed by German Reporter Is Ready to Forgive.  (The New York Times, 12/27/2018)
Unlike other American counties that voted for Mr. Trump, there was not a wild political swing in Fergus Falls, making it a strange place for Mr. Relotius to choose to profile. Otter Tail County had also supported Mitt Romney and John McCain. And well-trod story lines about factory closures and population decline, often cited in accounts of Mr. Trump’s success, did not apply in Fergus Falls, where the downtown is bustling and the population is steady.

Source:  Wikipedia (population, map)




Source:  Wikipedia

Trump's margin of victory in Otter Tail County, 35.7 percentage points, is the largest since 1952, when Eisenhower beat Stevenson by 50.4 percentage points.  (In 1964, Barry Goldwater received 51.3% of the vote to LBJ's 48.6%.   Minnesota has 87 counties.)

Related article:
Der Spiegel journalist messed with the wrong small town.  (Medium, 12/16/2018)

Other Trump's America posts:
Alabama
Autauga County.  (6/29/2017
Bibb County.  (11/10/2017)
Covington County. (11/11/2017)
Dale County.  (12/12/2017)
Geneva County.  (11/11/2017)
Marion County.  (11/11/2017)

Arizona
8th congressional district.  (4/25/2018)

Arkansas
Faulkner County.  (3/20/2018)
Mississippi County.  (3/19/2018)
Woodruff County.  (3/26/2018)

California
Mesa County.  (7/20/2017)
Shasta County.  (7/4/2017

Colorado
Morgan County.  (4/25/2017)

Florida
Citrus County.  (3/5/2017)
DeSoto County,.  (9/9/2017)

Idaho
Kootenai County.  (9/25/2017)

Illinois
Effingham County.  (2/15/2018)
Franklin County.  (2/27/2017)
Jo Daviess County.  (5/13/2018)
Knox County.  (5/13/2018)
McHenry County.  (2/5/2017)
Perry County.  (5/8/2017)
Stephenson County.  (5/13/2018)
Whiteside County.  (5/13/2018)
16th Congressional District.  (3/26/2017)

Indiana
Granger.  (3/26/2017)
Hendricks County.  (10/1/2017)
Huntington County.  (4/27/2017)
Jefferson County.  (3/10/2018)
Posey County.  (10/21/2017)
Scott County,.  (10/21/2017)

Iowa
Adair County.  (9/16/2018)
Adams County.  (9/16/2018)
Allamakee County.  (7/31/2018)
Appanoose County.  (8/4/2018)
Benton County.  (8/2/2018)
Boone County.  (1/15/2017)
Bremer County.  (8/2/2018)
Buchanan County.  (8/2/2018)
Butler County. (8/6/2018)
Calhoun County.  (9/6/2018)
Cass County.  (4/3/2018)
Cedar County.  (7/31/2018)
Cerro Gordo County.  (8/6/2018)
Chickasaw County.  (8/2/2018)
Clarke County.  (8/8/2018)
Clayton County.  (7/31/2018)
Clinton County.   (10/15/2017)
Davis County.  (8/3/2018)
Decatur County.  ( 7/5/2018)
Delaware County.  (7/31/2018)
Des Moines County.  (8/1/2018)
Emmet County.  (8/19/2018)
Fayette County.  (8/2/2018)
Floyd County.  (9/25/2018 update)
Franklin County, (8/14/2017)
Greene County.  (9/6/2018)
Guthrie County.  (9/16/2018)
Hamilton County.  (4/2/2018)
Hancock County. (8/7/2018)
Hardin County.  (4/2/2018)
Henry County.  (7/9/2018)
Howard County.  (8/2/2018)
Iowa County.  (8/2/2018)
Jasper County.  (8/5/2018)
Jefferson County.  (8/1/2018)
Keokuk County.  (8/2/2018)
Kossuth County.  (8/18/2018)
Lee County.  (8/1/2018)
Louisa County.  (8/1/2018)
Lucas County.  (8/5/2018)
Lyon County.  (4/2/2018)
Madison County.  (8/8/2018)
Marion County.  (5/23/2017)
Mitchell County.  (8/7/2018)
Monticello County.  (1/13/2017)
Muscatine County.  (8/1/2018)
Palo Alto County.  (9/6/2018)
Pocahontas County.  (9/6/2018)
Poweshiek and Webster counties.  (2/7/2017)
Ringgold County.  (8/8/2018)
Sioux County.  (8/26/2018 update)
Tama County.  (7/6/2018)
Taylor County.  (9/16/2018)
Union County.  (9/10/2017)
Wapello County.  (8/3/2018)
Washington County.  (4/2/2018)
Wayne County.  (8/5/2018)
Webster County.  (8/9/2018)
Winnebago County. (12/17/2017)
Winneshiek County.  (8/2/2018)
Worth County. (8/7/2018)
Wright County.  (8/8/2017)

Kansas
Clark County.  (3/21/2017)
Comanche County. (12/22/2018)
Mitchell County.  (1/29/2017)
Sumner County.  (10/1/2017)

Kentucky
Bell County.  (6/4/2018)
Hancock County,.  (10/21/2017)
Jackson County.  (12/9/2017)
Knox and Whitley counties.  (2/17/2017)
Lee County.  (12/9/2017)
Letcher County.  (6/29/2017)
Martin County.  (3/22/2018)
Perry County.  (10/10/2017)
Rowan County.  (6/4/2018)

Louisiana
Calcasieu Parish,.  (5/22/2017)
St. Martin Parish.  (4/26/2017)

Maine
Piscataquis County.  (7/3/2017)

Michigan
Lake County.  (9/16/2018)
Macomb County.  (11/29/2017)
St. Joseph County.  (6/5/2017)

Minnesota
Chisago County.  (6/20/2018)
Itasca County.  (5/12/2018)
Lac qui Parle County.  (7/2/2017)
Mower County.  (5/12/2018)
Nobles County.  (1/26/2018)

Mississippi
Pontotoc County.  (7/19/2017)

Missouri
Butler County.  (7/22/2018)

Nebraska
Sioux County.  (12/22/2018)

New Jersey
7th Congressional District.  (4/14/2017)

New York
UPDATE:  Essex County.  (11/29/2017)
Putnam County.  (2/27/2018)
19th Congressional District.  (3/26/2017)

North Carolina
Robeson County.  (12/1/2017)
Union County.  (3/9/2017)

North Dakota
Sargent County.  (10/22/2017)

Ohio
Adams County.  (12/9/2017)
Belmont County.  (7/17/2018)
Columbiana County,  (12/11/2017)
Defiance County.  (3/21/2017)
Highland County.   (3/19/2017)
Huron County.  (6/19/2017)
Jackson County.  (6/6/2017)
Lawrence County.  (2/25/2018)
Marion County.  (7/14/2018)
Morgan County.  (10/10/2017)
Shelby County.  (3/2/2018)
Trumbull County.  (4/3/2017)
Van Wert County.  (4/12/2017)
Wayne County.  (5/6/2018)
Williams County.  (3/21/2017)
Wyandot County.  (5/4/2018)

Oklahoma
Bryan County.  (5/5/2017)
Nowata County.  (5/5/2018)

Oregon
Douglas County.  (5/17/2017)

Pennsylvania
Dauphin County. (4/22/2017)
Erie County.  (10/11/2018 update)
Fayette County.  (7/25/2018)
Greene County.  (5/3/2017)
UPDATE. Luzerne County.  (1/14/2017)
Northampton County.  (7/20/2017)
Wayne County.  (3/1/2018)
Williamsport.  (1/24/2017)

South Carolina
Spartanburg County.  (6/5/2017)

South Dakota
Lawrence County,.  (4/27/2017)

Tennessee
Campbell County.  (12/10/2017)
Lake County.  (12/22/2018)
Marion County.  (4/1/2017)
Maury County.  (10/31/2017)
Roane County.  (5/1/2018)
Union County.  (5/30/2017)

Texas
Gaines County.  (4/26/2017)
Shackelford County.  (2/26/2018)

Washington
Grays Harbor County.  (8/20/2017)

West Virginia
Berkeley County.  (3/25/2018)
Boone County.  (3/23/2018)
Cabell County.  (8/4/2017)
Fayette County.  (1/24/2017)
Greenbrief County.  (12/14/2018)
Jackson County.  (6/18/2017)
Marshall County.  (2/7/2018)
Mason County.  (12/16/2017)
McDowell County.  (7/10/2017)
Mingo County.  (3/25/2018)
Summers County.  (3/25/2018)
Wayne County.  (3/24/2018)

Wisconsin
6th congressional district.  (1/27/2018)
Adams County.  (2/6/2017)
Buffalo County.  (3/19/2017)
Burnett County.  (2/24/2018)
Clark County,.  (8/13/2018)
Crawford County.  (5/14/2018)
Fond du Lac County.  (3/7/2018)
Grant County.  (5/16/2018)
Green Lake County.  (1/26/2018)
Jackson County.  (3/8/2018)
Johnson Creek.  (1/21/2017)
Juneau County.  (2/23/2017)
Lafayette County.  (5/16/2018)
Manitowoc County.  (8/10/2017)
Monroe County.  (3/8/2018)
Oconto County.  (7/24/2018)
Oneida County.  (4/24/2017)
Pepin County.  (12/21/2017)
Price County.  (12/23/2018 update)
Richland County.  (11/10/2017)
Sauk County.  (5/14/2018)
Sawyer County.  (3/20/2017)
Taylor County.  (12/23/2018 update)
Vernon County.  (5/14/2018)
Waushara County.  (2/6/2017)
Winnebago County.  (11/27/2017)
Wood County.  (3/8/2018)

Marilyn Petersen Mimm Pollino (1935-2018) Warren High School class of 1953



1953 Dragon yearbook


1967 Warren City Directory
1983 Warren City Directory

The popularity of Marilyn as a baby name is graphed here.  Let's take a look at Laura.

Source:  Social Security Administration

Laura spent most of the 20th century (1935 to 1944 excluded) in the top 100.  In 1945, she received a boost from this popular movie and went on to spend 42 years in the top 30 (1958-1999), peaking at #10 in 1969.  She is certainly losing her cachet in the 21st century.

Other members of the class of 1953:
2018
Rose Raffaele Scala.  (10/23/2018)
Marilyn John Smith.  (4/30/2018)
Elizabeth Simko.  (3/3/2018)

2017
Hazel Kell Martin.  (9/22/2017
Carole Moore Zimmerman.  (9/11/2017)
Carolyn Webster Coates.  (7/7/2017)
Leroy Sorenson.  (5/25/2017)
Carole Weigel Wunner.  (5/10/2017)
Arthur Wagner.  (1/5/2017)

2016
Robert Harrington.  (12/6/2016)
Beverly Taft Littlefield.  (11/26/2016)
Karolyn Lane Stone.  (11/24/2016)
Roberta Leave Troutman.  (6/8/2016)
Grace Tigani.  (5/20/2016)

2015
Nan Perry Fischer.  (6/18/2015)

"Touch Me" by the Doors debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 28, 1968


"Touch Me" by The Doors was one of 2 singles that eventually reached Billboard's top 10, the other being by Jay & the Americans, whose 1962 debut single, "She Cried", reached the top 10, one of 4 to do so.  Two other Doors' singles made the top 10, "Light My Fire" (1967) and Hello I Love You" (1968), both reaching #1.

Related article:
The Legacy of Jim Morrison and the Doors.  (Rolling Stone, 4/4/1991)
The legacy of the Doors.  (Chicago Tribune, 12/6/20170




Related posts:
Aretha Franklin's two-sided hit single among the newcomers on Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 17, 1968.

Iron Butterfly makes its first appearance on Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 24, 1968.

Big Brother and the Holding Company makes its first two appearances on Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 31, 1968.

Fire! The Crazy World of Arthur Brown debuts with its only single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. ( For the week ending September 7, 1968)

The Beatles "Hey Jude" debuts in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending September 14, 1968

Jimi Hendrix Experience: "All Along the Watchtower" debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending September 21, 1968

Run for your lives, here come the Archies: Bang-shang-a-lang debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending September 28, 1968

"White Room" by Cream debuts as a national breakout on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 5, 1968

"Ride My See-Saw" by the Moody Blues debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 12, 1968.

"Love Child" by Diana Ross and the Supremes lead the pack of debut singles on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 19, 1968

Abraham, Martin & John, the last big hit by Dion, debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 26, 1968

Stevie Wonder outperforms Jackie Wilson: Two versions of 'For Once in my Life' debut on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending November 2, 1968

Booker T. and the MG's "Hang 'em High" debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending November 9, 1968

"Hooked on a Feeling" by B. J. Thomas debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending November 16, 1968

Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending November 23, 1968

'Everyday People' by Sly and the Family Stone debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending November 30, 1968

"Going Up The Country" by Canned Heat debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 7, 1968

Tommy James & the Shondells "Crimson and Clover" debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 14, 1968

Ramblin' Gamblin' Man by Bob Seger debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 21, 1968

GET ME REWRITE: Worldwide, Donald Trump doesn't inspire a lot of confidence




2. Faith in the U.S. president remains low.  (Pew Research, 10/1/2018)


Original 12/26/2018 post, "GET ME REWRITE: America is respected again in Russia", starts here.


America Is Respected Again!’ Trump Tweets as Allies Question His Leadership.  (The New York Times, 12/24/2018)

And as Pew Research demonstrates ("America’s international image continues to suffer"), Trump's tweet is nothing but fake news.

Here's what's really happening.


As Pew points out: A year after global opinion of the United States dropped precipitously, favorable views of the U.S. remain at historic lows in many countries polled. In addition, more say bilateral relations with the U.S. have worsened, rather than improved, over the past year.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

GET ME REWRITE!! Just 403 days left until the meaningless Iowa caucuses


iPhone screenshot with some NBC blithering

First of all, why put mega-resources into a state whose demographics are not representative of the United States?


Iowa has 99 counties, many of them rural, 84 of them losing population.   (And presidential candidates are expected to visit every single one.)  The demographics of Adams County, which has lost 70% of its population since 1900, is fairly typical of the many. 


39 counties have lost more than 30% of their population since 1900 or later:
  • 13 of them more than 50% (purple)
  • 11 of them 40-49% (orange)
  • 15 of them 30-39% (yellow)






ISU analysis of census data shows that majority of Iowa communities are shrinking.  (Iowa State University, 5/27/2014)

For $140 -- on sale!! -- you, too, can abort a Med Flight rescue mission



Med Flight rescue mission aborted, pilot injured after someone shined laser pointer at helicopter.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 12/26/2018)
While searching for the suspect with the laser pointer, a Columbia County Sheriff's deputy encountered unseen ice and suffered a lower leg injury that will keep him out of work for a while, said Lt. Wayne Smith.

Key words in New York Times article on modern parenting







The Relentlessness of Modern Parenting, by Claire Cain Miller.  (The New York Times, 12/25/2018)

Now you just have to find someone to carry them into the house and put them away




A Toaster on Wheels to Deliver Groceries? Self-Driving Tech Tests Practical Uses.  (The New York Times, 12/18/2018)
Designed by a start-up called Nuro, the vehicle was making a test run as part of a partnership with Fry’s on an autonomous delivery service. Starting this week, Nuro said, two of these small, electric cars will chug along local streets at no faster than 25 miles an hour to deliver groceries to nearby homes. 
If it all looked a bit ridiculous, that’s because self-driving is still a technology in search of a purpose.

Related posts:
Foxconn and self-driving trucks: Wishing won't make it so.  (5/1/2018)
CES 2018: Toyota introduces e-Patette, autonomous vehicle, modular store.  (1/14/2018)