Friday, February 16, 2018

Gun Violence Archives: The collected works of American firearms carnage





Despite Scott Walker's cheerleading, sales tax holiday is nothing but a gimmick



Reported in Are sales tax holidays a good thing?  (Forbes, 7/25/2017)

Nothing more than another desperate move from one of America's most unpopular governors.,


Related reading:
Sales tax holiday: No August sales tax holiday in Massachusetts this year.  (MassLive, 8/10/2017) 
Georgia cancels its 2017 back-to-school sales tax holiday.  (Don't Mess with Taxes, 6/30/2017)
Oklahoma: House eyes suspending back-to-school sales tax holiday, cutting state agency sales tax exemptions.  (KFOR, 5/16/2017)

And then there's this news:
Second Amendment sales tax holidays proposed in Tennessee and Arkansas.  (Tax Rates, 2/14/2017)

Supervisor David Moore, gun fetishist, wants to put a lid on public comment at Sauk County board meetings



Reported in Sauk County residents oppose new limits on public comments.  (Madison.com, 2/15/2018)

See David in action here.

Fortunately, he lost his State Assembly challenge by a wide margin.

Source: Ballotpedia

Other Sauk County board posts:
Lie or misrepresentation: Newspaper gives Sauk County Board chair benefit of the doubt.  (1/11/2018)
Sauk County Board sideshow: Dennis Polivka makes his constituents proud.  (4/6/2017)
UPDATE. The fussin', feudin', and finger-pointin' continues in Sauk County.  (1/20/2017)
Sauk County administrative coordinator under scrutiny.  (11/3/2016)
Discussion of Sauk County administrator's removal delayed.  (11/10/2016)
County board approves special meeting on administrative calendar.  (11/15/2016)
New Sauk County jail health contractor subject of controversy.  (11/17/2016)
County supervisors ordered to preserve documents, data.  (11/20/2016)
Sauk County Board approves separation agreement with top administrator.  (11/22/2016)
Sauk County's last two top administrators dismissed under similar circumstances.  (11/29/2016)
Letter to the editor:  Sauk County must fix high turnover in top positions.  (12/1/2016)
Sauk County won't release complaints against administrator.  (12/1/2016)

Uh-oh, call the Capitol police, there's a gang in the Senate chamber


Photo credit:  LinkedIn

Reported at Senate Dems block crackdown on sanctuary cities.  (The Hill, 1/25/2018)

State Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) again puts the hurt on GOP cartoon conservative principle



Reported in County supervisors on edge over proposal targeting power balance with county executives.  (Racine Journal Times, 2/16/2018)
Other supervisors chime in. 
“I looked through this (bill), and my jaw dropped to the floor,” Supervisor Q.A. Shakoor II of Racine said.  
Supervisor Janet Bernberg of Wind Point said, “The bottom line is, to me, this would be eliminating the County Board. We have absolutely no authority.” “ 
Don’t we have three branches of government?” Bernberg said. “There are no checks and balances if the county executive can do everything.”



It's all about Milwaukee County and their county executive's power play.


Related posts:
UPDATE. By now, you know that the GOP's favorite pastime is overruling its pesky principles.  (11/28/2017)
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo highlights GOP cartoon conservative principle.  (5/20/2016)
A recent history lesson in Republican hypocrisy.  (4/2/2016)
Time for another Republican hypocrisy alert.  (10/23/2015)
Cartoon conservative principles.  (5/6/2015)
The Usual Hypocrisy: What Scott Walker sez on his campaign website and what he does in the Governor's office are two different things.  (5/2/2015)
The "hits" to local control just keep on coming.  (2/28/2015)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board calls out Republican hypocrisy.  (2/17/2014)
And the hypocrisy just keeps on coming: Republicans can't even give lip service to their "Principles". (2/14/2014)
Yet another lesson in Republican hypocrisy.  (2/13/2014)
Another lesson in hypocrisy: Wisconsin Republicans disparage Mary Burke for her wealth.  (1/31/2014)
A lesson in hypocrisy, Waukesha County edition.  (1/29/2014)
Your Wisconsin Republican Assembly hard at work promoting Governor Walker's jobs agenda (and GOP principles).  (11/15/2013)

McDonald's massive Happy Meal PR campaign


Newspaper articles galore

Industry newsletters

Even emails to elected officials (wherein cheeseburger isn't mentioned until more than halfway through)



highlight added


The Trump effect in competitive elections



Reported in G.O.P. Squirms as Trump Veers Off Script With Abuse Remarks.  (The New York Times, 2/10/2018)

Related posts:
The Trump effect in Florida: Democrats flips House of Representatives District 72.  (2/14/2018)
The Trump effect in Missouri: House of Representatives District 97.  (2/7/2018)
The Trump effect in deep red Washington County, Wisconsin.  (1/21/2018)
The Trump effect, worldwide.  (1/19/2018)
The Trump effect in northwest Iowa: Democrats now competitive in districts where they previously couldn't field a candidate.  (1/18/2018)
The Trump effect in the Wisconsin 10th State Senate District special election.  (1/18/2018)

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Well, Jim, I think it's crying time again




Quoted in Wisconsin farmers: Industrial hemp an emerging opportunity.  (Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, 2/15/2018)

Ray Charles' 11th single to reach the top 10, 'Crying Time' debuted at #92 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 11, 1965.  It spent 15 weeks on the chart, peaking at #6.

Pay to play the Kohler way



Fitzgerald: More liquor law enforcement needed, bill doesn't give Kohler an exemption.  (Madison.com, 2/15/2018)
Fitzgerald to those who oppose the bill:  "PAY UP OR SHUT UP!!!"  Kohler launched a line of chocolate brandy in 2016 that it wants to be able to sell at its resorts. The bill's language narrowly defines what constitutes a resort, apparently to uniquely suit Kohler.  
Dozens of craft brewers, wineries and distillers across the state, along with the state chapter of Americans For Prosperity, oppose the bill, saying it gives special treatment to a large corporation at the expense of small business owners who need clarification and less government regulation in order to grow their businesses in Wisconsin.

This fractured fairy tale is brought to you by Scott Fitzgerald.


Other pay to play posts
2018
UPDATE. Advantage, Friends of Wisconsin State Parks: Money talks in more ways than one.
(1/25/2018)

2017
No fire sprinklers in small apartment buildings? It's called pay to play on a mammoth scale.  (12/10/2017)
Utilities and power cooperatives dig deep to pay to play in Wisconsin.  (11/7/2017)
Dynamic Recycling CEO Miles Harter donates $3,075 to GOP candidates, company will get up to $535,000 in state income tax credits.  (8/14/2017)
All told, the Kerns have donated nearly $400,000 to Republican and conservative candidates.  (8/14/2017)
Scott Walker lets Fiserv piggyback onto Foxconn legislation.  (8/1/2017)
Wisconsin DNR: Pay to play trumps your tax dollars.  (5/22/2017)
Concerning Rebecca Bradley: Meet some of the Wisconsin voters who would be disenfranchised by recusal rules.  (4/20/2017)
Pay to play the high-capacity well, Wisconsin Assembly Agriculture Committee way.  (3/24/2017)
Scott Walker and his for-profit college, pay-to-play buddies.  (2/10/2017)
Wisconsin is open for pay to play.  (2/3/2017)

2016
In addition to $750,000 to Club for Growth, Harold Simmons donated $10,000 to Scott Walker.  (9/14/2016)
Developer finds that 'pay to play' costs more than $72,844.92.  (2/12/2016)
Meet the disingenuous Rob Brooks (R-Saukville).  (1/13/2016)

2015
Wingra Stone looks for a return on its capitol investment.  (12/17/2015)
For sale: 1 state senator, 1 state representative.  (12/8/2015)
UPDATE. Sorry, Tim Geoghegan, a total of $11,750 in donations is not a "bunch of bull".  (10/25/2015) 
CAFOnated pay to play adds $84,000 to Scott Walker's campaign fund in 2011.  (10/7/2015)
Pay to play the payday way.  (7/5/2015)
From the pay-to-play archives: Grebe Pere, Grebe Fils.  (5/23/2015)

2014
Appleton Post-Crescent Editorial Board All But Puts a Dunce Cap on the Head of Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc).  (1/24/2014)

Survey says: The older you get, the more you recognize that domestic abuse is a serious problem in the U.S.


SourceHuffPost/YouGov

Despite Trump’s Defense Of Aide, Most Americans Say Domestic Violence Allegations Should Be Disqualifying.  (Huffington Post, 2/13/2018)
Trump voters, are more tepid in their condemnation, but they aren’t exactly rallying around Porter either. Just 29 percent say the allegations against Porter are credible, but only 5 percent say they are not credible, with the rest declining to offer an opinion. And by a two-to-one margin, 44 percent to 22 percent, they say that Porter shouldn’t be able to hold a job in the Trump administration. Most, however, say they’re comfortable with the way the White House handled the story.

UPDATE. The AR-15, mass killers weapon of choice



Reported in 
Why the AR-15 keeps appearing at America's deadliest mass shootings.  (USA Today, 2/14/2018)

Gun nonsense


12/30/2017 update, "Advocacy group promoting responsible and legal concealed carry wants to put this AR-15 in your hands for free", starts here.

Without a whiff of irony.


Screenshot from a 12/30/2017 email blast

Related reading:
Why is the AR-15 so lethal.  (The Atlantic, 11/7/2017)
Q:  What is this gun? Why is it the weapon that people who want to kill a lot of other people, in a hurry, mainly choose? 
A:  A little bullet pays off so much in wound ballistics. That is what people who choose these weapons know.


11/6/2017 update, "In light of Sutherland Springs mass shooting, concealed carry advocacy group needs to work on its timing", starts here.

Screenshot of 11/6/2017 email


10/23/2017 update, "Adventures in wordsmithing:  Concealed carry advocacy group has a killer deal for you", starts here

Partial screenshot of 10/23/2017 email

Related reading:
U.S. Army Veteran Reveals His Secret To Turning Your Handgun Into...A SNIPER RIFLE!  n (My Crisis Gear)


Original 10/16/2017 post, "Concealed carry advocacy group offers so many choices in gun giveaway drawing", starts here.

(highlight added)

Out of curiosity, I signed up for their emails a while back.   The group, Concealed Nation, professes to promote responsible and legal concealed carry.

CES 2018: Household robot from the loins of Rosie




The best smart home innovations from CES 2018. (Boss, 2/2018)
The Aeolus Robot showed of its skills by mopping, picking up toys, moving furniture, and getting drinks from a fridge at CES this year, and consumers were impressed. Each robot is connected to a network, which allows the robots to use artificial intelligence to get better at its job the longer it does it. Even now it can associate specific items—a pair of glasses, for instance—with the owner of the item.

Will be priced at less than $20,000!!




Other before, during and after CES 2018 posts:
February 2018
Sorry, folks, but I'm going to pass on this Lovebox gadget.  (2/14/2018)
Meet Somnex, the sleep robot.  (2/8/20
Deskcise Pro V9 Bike Desk allows you to work and exercise at the same time.  (2/8/2018
The Hyperloop has some folks giddy, light-headed, and untethered.  (2/5/2018)
Ovie Smarterware, refrigerator manager.  (2/5/2018)
Colgate smart toothbrush provides you with a 3D brushing coach.  (2/1/2018)
Meet Laika, a gadget that rolls around the house and keeps you connected to your dog all day long.  (2/1/2018)

January 2018
Bloomberg reviewer definitely not impressed with this $400 window cleaning robot.  (1/30/2018)
Cinema snowglobe.  (1/28/2018)
Hip airbag for seniors leaves knees and elbows unprotected in a fall.  (1/27/2018)
Meet ElliQ, the active aging companion. (1/2 4/2018)
CLOi, robot touted as 'ultimate in simplicity' gets a case of stage fright.  (1/23/2018)
Robots, robots, and more robots.  (1/23/2018)
Rollable OLED TV.  (1/21/2018)
Meet Forpheus, the ping-pong playing robot.  (1/20/2018)
You'll need Keecker-ready walls and ceilings to get the most use out of this robot.  (1/19/2018)
At a list price of $8700, you have plenty of time to procrastinate about this umbrella purchase,  (1/18/2018)
For just under a thousand bucks, Foldimate will save you from the tyranny of folding laundry.  (1/17/2018)
Softcore toilet porn from Kohler.  (1/16/2018)
Smart mirror could use more of a human touch.  (1/16/2018)
Meet Aibo, the robot dog.  (1/15/2018)
File this Modius Health headset under 'absurd'.  (1/15/2018)
The creepy underbelly of CES 2018. Robot strippers.  (1/14/2018)  
Toyota introduces e-Patette, autonomous vehicle, modular store.  (1/14/2018)
Meet AvatarMind's iPal.  (1/12/2018)
Security robot Nimbo scares away the bad guys.  (1/12/2018)
Concept robots designed to eliminate service sector jobs.  (1/5/2018)
Travelmate Robotics suitcase.  (1/5/2018)
Samsung's GoBreath.  (1/3/2018)
A robot that plays Scrabble without making a mess.  (1/1/2018)

December 2017
Keratase hair coach.  (12/23/2017)
Travis the Translator.  (12/20/2017)
Pro-Protection toothbrush holder.  (12/19/2017)
PetMio smart technology.  (12/18/2017)
Rinspeed Snap concept vehicle.  (12/17/2017)
SignAll, an automated sign language translator.  (12/13/2017) 
Homni sleep solution.  (12/11/2017)

November 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)

Florida Governor Rick Scott, GOP hypocrite


Headline source:  NRA-ILA

Quoted in Former student opens fire at Florida high school.  (THV, 2/14/2018)

Related reading:  
NRA endorses Rick Scott for Governor in Florida.  (NRA-ILA, 9/24/2014)
Based on his leadership on Second Amendment issues, Governor Scott has earned an “A+” rating from the NRA-PVF in the 2014 general election. An A+ is the highest possible rating and is reserved for elected officials with an excellent public record on critical NRA issues who have also made a vigorous effort to promote and defend the Second Amendment.  [emphasis added]

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

The Trump effect in Florida: Democrats flips House of Representatives District 72


Source:  Ballotpedia 

Dems flip seat in Florida state special election.  (The Hill, 2/13/2018)
With all precincts reporting, attorney Margaret Good (D) took 52 percent of the vote, ousting Sarasota real estate agent James Buchanan (R). 
President Trump carried the state legislative district by a 5-point margin in 2016. It opened when the incumbent Republican quit to spend more time with her family and building her business. 

Related posts:

The Trump effect in Missouri: House of Representatives District 97.  (2/7/2018)
The Trump effect in deep red Washington County, Wisconsin.  (1/21/2018)
The Trump effect, worldwide.  (1/19/2018)
The Trump effect in northwest Iowa: Democrats now competitive in districts where they previously couldn't field a candidate.  (1/18/2018)
The Trump effect in the Wisconsin 10th State Senate District special election.  (1/18/2018)

Around Town: Parking 101


The sidewalk is for pedestrians.

Photo by Retiring Guy

Related reading:
Pet peeves payback: Don't park like an idiot.  (Morning Call, 3/14/2016)
One of the funniest pranks I've seen involved a local public official and two of my friends. 
They got their hands on a book of parking tickets, and over a period of weeks, they began putting warnings on this guy's car all over town for a series of nonsensical violations, including "Parking Too Far From the Curb," "Parking Too Close to the Curb," "Noncollaborative Vehicular Slant," "Unapproved Tire Iron," "Unattractive Hubcaps" and, my favorite, "Obstructed Windshield-Bugs."

This week in the cereal aisle: Kellogg's Donut Shop in your choice of flavors


Photo by Retiring Guy

Review: Kellogg’s Donut Shop Chocolate Donut Cereal.  (Cerealously, 12/9/2017)
I'll have to take Dan G's word for it.  It’s for that reason, too, that Kellogg’s Chocolate Donut cereal is destined to score just below its rose-tinted sibling. Pink Donut just had a more complexly unique flavor—layers of vanilla included. But since both are surprisingly pleasant cereals worthy of a bakery’s showcase—you know, the one with the flipbook of fancy, action figure-topped cakes that no one has ordered since the Taft administration—I’m left yearning for even more flavors to come in this Donut Shop cereal line.

Source:  My Fitness Pal (cereal, donut)

Other weeks in the cereal aisle posts:
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)
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)
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)

National Enquirer in full-bore lock them up mode


Photo by Retiring Guy

The National Enquirer’s Fervor for Trump, by Jeffrey Toobin.  (The New Yorker, 7/3/2017)
Throughout the 2016 Presidential race, the Enquirer embraced Trump with sycophantic fervor. The magazine made its first political endorsement ever, of Trump, last spring. Cover headlines promised, “donald trump’s revenge on hillary & her puppets” and “top secret plan inside: how trump will win debate!” The publication trashed Trump’s rivals, running a dubious cover story on Ted Cruz that described him as a philanderer and another highly questionable piece that linked Cruz’s father to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Trump's Pecker:  How the president's friendship with American Media CEO gilded Trump's way to the White House.  (Newsweek, 7/1/2017)
David Pecker, CEO of American Media, which publishes the Enquirer and several other similar titles, is a long-standing friend of the president. In a recent feature in the New Yorker, a former reporter at the supermarket tabloid claimed that negative stories about Trump were frequently spiked.

Valentine's Day synergy in the natural foods aisle at Woodman's


Photo by Retiring Guy

CES 2018: Sorry, folks, but I'm going to pass on this Lovebox gadget




The Lovebox is a better gift than flowers for Valentine's Day,  (c|net, 2/8/2018)
Everything about this box is endearing and unassuming: The size, the curved corners, the silent way the heart spins and the black-and-white display. It is refreshing to see how Lovebox integrates messaging into something so discreet. There's no loud notifications or lights to get your attention -- just a palm-sized spinning heart. 
The Lovebox costs $99.

Calling the B52's!!



"Love Shack" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending September 2, 1989.  It spent 27 weeks on the chart, peaking at #3.

Other before, during and after CES 2018 posts:
February 2018
Meet Somnex, the sleep robot.  (2/8/20
Deskcise Pro V9 Bike Desk allows you to work and exercise at the same time.  (2/8/2018
The Hyperloop has some folks giddy, light-headed, and untethered.  (2/5/2018)
Ovie Smarterware, refrigerator manager.  (2/5/2018)
Colgate smart toothbrush provides you with a 3D brushing coach.  (2/1/2018)
Meet Laika, a gadget that rolls around the house and keeps you connected to your dog all day long.  (2/1/2018)

January 2018
Bloomberg reviewer definitely not impressed with this $400 window cleaning robot.  (1/30/2018)
Cinema snowglobe.  (1/28/2018)
Hip airbag for seniors leaves knees and elbows unprotected in a fall.  (1/27/2018)
Meet ElliQ, the active aging companion. (1/2 4/2018)
CLOi, robot touted as 'ultimate in simplicity' gets a case of stage fright.  (1/23/2018)
Robots, robots, and more robots.  (1/23/2018)
Rollable OLED TV.  (1/21/2018)
Meet Forpheus, the ping-pong playing robot.  (1/20/2018)
You'll need Keecker-ready walls and ceilings to get the most use out of this robot.  (1/19/2018)
At a list price of $8700, you have plenty of time to procrastinate about this umbrella purchase,  (1/18/2018)
For just under a thousand bucks, Foldimate will save you from the tyranny of folding laundry.  (1/17/2018)
Softcore toilet porn from Kohler.  (1/16/2018)
Smart mirror could use more of a human touch.  (1/16/2018)
Meet Aibo, the robot dog.  (1/15/2018)
File this Modius Health headset under 'absurd'.  (1/15/2018)
The creepy underbelly of CES 2018. Robot strippers.  (1/14/2018)  
Toyota introduces e-Patette, autonomous vehicle, modular store.  (1/14/2018)
Meet AvatarMind's iPal.  (1/12/2018)
Security robot Nimbo scares away the bad guys.  (1/12/2018)
Concept robots designed to eliminate service sector jobs.  (1/5/2018)
Travelmate Robotics suitcase.  (1/5/2018)
Samsung's GoBreath.  (1/3/2018)
A robot that plays Scrabble without making a mess.  (1/1/2018)

December 2017
Keratase hair coach.  (12/23/2017)
Travis the Translator.  (12/20/2017)
Pro-Protection toothbrush holder.  (12/19/2017)
PetMio smart technology.  (12/18/2017)
Rinspeed Snap concept vehicle.  (12/17/2017)
SignAll, an automated sign language translator.  (12/13/2017) 
Homni sleep solution.  (12/11/2017)

November 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)

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Irvine Louis Geer (1938-2017) Warren High School



 1944 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory
  • Geer Gilbert student r211 Terrace
  • Geer Irvine L (Madolyn A), Oil Field Service, 211 Terrace h do, Tel 723-9430
1983 Warren City Directory
  • Baughman Craig & Beverly; sec ofcr United S W h203 Alexander St
  • Geer Gerry & Delores K; oil field serv h211 Terrace St;
  • Geer Gilbert I & Sandra M (I L Geer & Sons) h1271a Dutchman Run Rd
  • Geer I L & Madolyn A (I L Geer & Sons) rRt 1 Mead Twp PA
  • [county section] Monaghan James A r9 Ball Dr
  • Monaghan Nancy L emp I L Geer and Sons rBall Dr

Irvine makes a single appearance on the SSA list:  #816 in 1905.   Let's take a look at son Gilbert.


Gilbert showed himself to be a steady performer during the 1st half of the 20th century, peaking at #90 in 1930, and not dipping below 150 until 1952.  His slow decline accelerated in the 1990s.  Lately, he's been struggling mightily just to remain in the top 1000.

Headline mash: The death of clothing forces Penney's to close distribution center, cut jobs


And there's nothing Scott Walker can do about it.

The apparel industry seems to have no solution to the dwindling dollars Americans devote to their closets. Many upstarts promising to revolutionize the industry drift away with barely a whimper. Who needs fashion these days when you can express yourself through social media? Why buy that pricey new dress when you could fund a weekend getaway instead? 
Apparel has simply lost its appeal. And there doesn’t seem to be a savior in sight.

The move comes as Penney reduces its supply chain network, which "is oversized relative to its national store footprint," spokesman Carter English said. Penney is among department store chains that have been closing stores as the sector struggles with increased competition from online and discount retailers.  (Or so they say.)

Get me rewrite! Needs of Trump the highest priority in rebuilding



Reported in Trump’s Infrastructure Plan Puts Burden on State and Private Money.  (Print headline:  Needs of Public A Low Priority In Rebuilding).  The New York Times, 2/12/2018)

And then there's this!


The Trump family:  Beyond shameless.

Here’s what happens when a company banks on fear and hate to goose gun sales



Reported in Remington is planning to file for bankruptcy.  (Bloomberg, 2/12/2018)

The latest question about GOP hypocrisy has been answered



RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has said that Wynn is entitled to "due process" and noted that he has denied the allegations.

GOP HYPOCRISY IN ACTION.  By which time everyone will have moved on to the next outrage/scandal/affront/disgrace/indignity and the RNC can keep Wynn's money.

Dear EPA Secretary Pruitt, Your travel accommodations are ready



Reported in First-class travel distinguishes Scott Pruitt’s EPA tenure.  (Washington Post, 2/11/2018)

Hypocrisy alert:  Where the GOP outrage?


Politicus USA, 2/21/2017


Related post:
Get me rewrite UPDATE. Scott Pruitt: Americans deserve an expose of my deep ties to fossil-fuel industry.  (7/12/2017)

It's official: Chicago's John Hancock Building no longer has a name, just an address


Photos by Retiring Guy (1980)

John Hancock Center skyscraper losing its iconic name.  (Chicago Tribune, 2/12/2018)
The John Hancock Center is getting a name change, nearly a decade after another of Chicago’s most beloved skyscrapers — the Sears Tower — switched identities and caused a civic uproar. 
Owners of the 100-story John Hancock Center said the building’s namesake, the insurance company that built the tower almost five decades ago, asked that its name and logos throughout the building’s interior be removed immediately.      
The Hancock is the city’s fourth-tallest building, at 1,128 feet. 
For now the building will be known by its address, 875 N. Michigan Ave., as the owner seeks a new naming-rights deal, said Stephen Hearn, president and CEO of Hearn Co.



Original 5/17/2017 post, "1980 views from the top of the whatsit-name building", starts here.

Photos by Retiring Guy
In addition to 897,000 square feet of office space and a 730-space parking garage, a buyer would acquire control of the naming rights at one of Chicago's most recognizable buildings. John Hancock, the city's fourth-tallest building at 1,128 feet, has an unusual ownership structure in which residential condominiums, retail and restaurant space, the 360 Chicago observatory and broadcast antennas atop the tower are all owned separately.