Retiring Guy's Digest: 2017-04-02

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Carolyn Johnson Sorenson (1929-2017) Warren High School class of 1947

Source: Warren Times Observer

1947 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory

Sorenson Roger A (Carolyn) pit hlpr National Forge h29 Glade av

1983 Warren City Directory

Sorenson Keith emp New Process r1609 Madison Av
Sorenson Roger & Carolyn; emp Wrn Borough h1609 Madison Av
Soreson Steph J & Barbra E; processor New Process h21 Buchanan St
Swanson Dale A & Nancy L (Dales Auto Aligning) h12 Hinkle St

The popularity of Carolyn is graphed here. As for Roger, he enjoyed a run of 55 years (1921-1975) among the top 100 names, peaking at #22 in 1945

Source: Social Security Administration

Other Class of '47 graduates:

Rose Gleason King Font. (1/2/2017)
Thomas Hampson. (12/22/2016)
William Nordin. (12/10/2016)
Barbara BovaKerr. (11/22/2016)
Wilbur Nordin. (11/16/2016)
Elwood Beckwith. (10/28/2016)
Robert Huck. (3/24/2016)
Lois Sigworth Conaway. (3/23/2016)
Leroy Weaver. (1/26/2016)
Betty Uplinger Hagberg. (10/4/2015)
Betsi Conaway Preston Yerkes. (6/15/2015)
Frank Shanshala. (4/28/2015)
Joyce Mack Phelps. (12/2/2014)
Henry Blick. (8/29/2014)

Kathleen Bloomquist Anderson. (8/2/2014)

Frances Cash VanVolkinburg. (2/7/2014)

Robert Songer. (1/19/2014)

Washington Post: Shoppers seeking out $88 shirts, $95 sunglasses

Sources: Warby Parker, Bonobos

The troubles at the American mall are coming to a boil. (Washington Post, 4/5/2017)

It doesn’t help any of these legacy bricks-and-mortar companies that customers are increasingly seeking out under-the-radar labels with a more specialized, boutique feel. The likes of Bonobos, Warby Parker, Shinola and Marine Layer are picking off shoppers that might once have filled their closets with goods from more ubiquitous chains.

Not to mention this $800 watch from Shinola.

In many areas, the problems have already boiled over.

Now you see it. Now you don't. (Photos by Retiring Guy)

Related post:
UPDATE: The deadest of dead malls is gone, razed. (1/3/2016)

Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona, where teen recreates opening scene from La La Land, asks Emma Stone to prom

Postcard from Retiring Guy's collection

Phoenix teen recreates 'La La Land' scene to ask Emma Stone to prom. (Fox5, 4/5/2017)

Jacob Staudenmaier, 17, is a fan of the 2016 film “La La Land." He decided he wanted to recreate the famous opening sequence where we are first introduced to random singers, dancers and characters played by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Like the film’s opening sequence, the recreated scene features cars that appear to be stuck in traffic.

Yellow arrow indicates the approximate point in time of initial distribution of Phoenix postcard shown at top of post.

Source: Wikipedia

The follow-up
Emma Stone Responds to Arizona High School Teen’s Viral ‘Prom-posal’. (Variety, 4/7/2017)

“Jacob, thanks for making the greatest proposal I have ever received,” Stone wrote. “I can’t tell you what an honor that was and how much I smiled through that entire beautifully orchestrated video. I’m in London working, but I hope you have the best time at prom, and I’m grateful you thought of me. Thank you. P.S. I do see Gosling around the eyes. Love, Emma.”

Greetings from Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah

From Retiring Guy's postcard collection

Great meals in Monument Valley. (San Juan Record, 4/4/2017)

Originally, the site where the Stagecoach Dining Room is located first started out as a movie prop when John Ford began making movies down in Monument Valley.

It became the mess hall for movie crews and cast. The cook would prepare the food, ring the bell (still displayed out front), and everyone would come in to eat family style. Read more: San Juan Record - Classifieds, Events, Businesses in Monticello, San Juan County, Utah - Great meals in Monument Valley.

Monument Valley in the Movies. (CBS Sunday Morning)

Movies directed by John Ford filmed in Monument Valley

Stagecoach (1939)
My Darling Clementine (1946)
Fort Apache (1948)
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
Rio Grande (1950)
Wagon Master (1950)
The Searchers (1956)
Sergeant Rutledge (1960)
How the West Was Won (1962; multiple directors)
Cheyenne Autumn (1964; Ford's last film)

Friday, April 7, 2017

So many birch tree wedding ideas lead to so much poaching

Source: Pinterest

Thousands of birch trees have been poached from the Northwoods. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/6/2017)

Thousands of trees have disappeared since last fall, stripped branches and stumps left behind at the crime scenes as the beautiful trees are sold to decorate homes and businesses and grace wedding tables.

Go faux.

UPDATE: Wisconsin voters pass majority of school referendums on spring election ballots

Source: Verona Area School District

Wisconsin voters continue to approve more school referendums as $700 million OK'd this week. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/6/2017)

In all, voters agreed to take on an additional $464.7 million in new debt for building projects — on top of the $1.35 billion approved last year — and to contribute an additional $235 million for operating expenses. Of the 65 questions before voters Tuesday, 40, or 62% passed, including a near-record $181.3 million sought for the burgeoning Verona Area School District in Dane County. [emphasis added]

Original 3/5/2017 post, "Dear Capital Times, That's pretty slim evidence", starts here.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

(Apparently, you need to enter your own data)

Total passed: 122.
Total failed: 32
Passage rate: 79.3%

The Capital Times, on the other hand, thinks that a 60% -- 3 for 5 -- success rate deserves a 'falling' rating.

What a bunch of gomers, especially when the second entry in this category is the egregious teeth-whitener John Humphries.

Maybe the CT should wait for the results of the 65 referenda on the April 4 ballots.

Truly questionable deductions.

'Falling' debuted at #76 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending June 8, 1963. It spent 8 weeks on the chart, peaking at #22. What a crime!

Are you a rich, balding white man? You have a 75% chance of being Trump's next chief of staff

From left to right: Kevin McCarthy, Wayne Berman, David Urban, Gary Cohn

Exclusive: Trump eyes new chief of staff; House Leader on short list. (Axios, 4/7/2017)

(All to be taken with a grain of salt for now, I suppose.) Insiders tell me that the possibilities for chief of staff include:

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who developed a bond with Trump as one of the earlier congressional leaders to support him, and remains a confidant.

Wayne Berman of Blackstone Group, a Washington heavy-hitter who was an Assistant Secretary of Commerce under President George H.W. Bush, and a key adviser on eight presidential campaigns.

David Urban of the Washington advisory firm American Continental Group, and a former chief of staff to the late Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.). Urban helped Trump win an upset victory in Pennsylvania, and was in constant cellphone contact with the candidate throughout the campaign.

Gary Cohn, Trump's economic adviser and the former #2 at Goldman Sachs, who has built a formidable team and internal clout.

Trump team will likely find a way to blame Obama for disappointing March jobs report

The Hill, 2/3/2017

The White House is taking credit for January’s robust jobs report, saying that companies ramped up hiring amid optimism that President Trump would be more friendly to businesses than President Obama.

The economy added 227,000 new jobs in January, far greater than the 175,000 jobs economists had expected.

The February report

New York Post, 3/10/2017

The White House celebrated Friday’s job numbers, which exceeded expectations and were the first to be released under President Trump’s watch. “Great news for American workers: economy added 235,000 new jobs, unemployment rate drops to 4.7% in first report for @POTUS Trump,” press secretary Sean Spicer said on Twitter, citing Friday’s Bureau of Labor Statistics figures.

The New York Times, 4/7/2017

It's gonna be hard for Trump's budget director (and former Freedom Caucus member) Mick Mulvaney to pour this glass of whine again.

CNN Money, 3/12/2017

Meet the Congressional frat boys otherwise known as the Freedom Caucus

96.77% white, all male.

Related posts:
Mark Meadows. (3/30/2017)
Jim Jordan. (3/30/2017)
Justin Amash. (3/30/2017)
Joe Barton.  (3/30/3017)
Andy Biggs. (3/30/3017)
Rod Blum. (3/30/2017)
Dave Brat. (3/31/2017)
Jim Bridenstine. (3/31/2017)
Mo Brooks. (3/31/2017)
Ken Buck. (4/1/2017)
Warren Davidson. (4/1/2017)
Ron DeSantis. (4/2/2017)
Scott DesJarlais.  (4/2/2017)
Jeff Duncan. (4/2/2017)
Trent Franks. (4/3/2017)
Tom Garrett Jr.  (4/3/2017)
Louie Gohmert. (4/3/2017)
Paul Gosar. (4/3/2017)
Andy Harris. (4/3/2017)
Jody Hice. (4/4/2017)

Mark Johnson.  (4/4/2017)
Raul Labrador.  (4/4/2017)
Alex Mooney. (4/4/2017)
Gary Palmer.  (4/5/2017)
Steve Pearce. (4/5/2017)
Scott Perry. (4/5/2017)
Bill Posey. (4/6/2017)
Mark Sanford.  (4/6/2017)
David Schweikert.  (4/6/2017)
Randy Weber. (4/7/2017)
Ted Yoho. (4/7/2017)

Donald Trump declares war on Freedom Caucus: The Ted Yoho edition

The last in a series.

@realDonaldTrump

Source: Ballotpedia

Florida's 3rd Congressional district

Source: govtrack

Trump won 56.2% of the vote in Florida's 3rd Congressional District. A mere squeak of an advantage to Yoho.

Other Trump declares war on Freedom Caucus posts:
Mark Meadows. (3/30/2017)
Jim Jordan. (3/30/2017)
Justin Amash. (3/30/2017)
Joe Barton.  (3/30/3017)
Andy Biggs. (3/30/3017)
Rod Blum. (3/30/2017)
Dave Brat. (3/31/2017)
Jim Bridenstine. (3/31/2017)
Mo Brooks. (3/31/2017)
Ken Buck. (4/1/2017)
Warren Davidson. (4/1/2017)
Ron DeSantis. (4/2/2017)
Scott DesJarlais.  (4/2/2017)
Jeff Duncan. (4/2/2017)
Trent Franks. (4/3/2017)
Tom Garrett Jr.  (4/3/2017)
Louie Gohmert. (4/3/2017)
Paul Gosar. (4/3/2017)
Andy Harris. (4/3/2017)
Jody Hice. (4/4/2017)

Mark Johnson. (4/4/2017)
Raul Labrador. (4/4/2017)
Alex Mooney. (4/4/2017)
Gary Palmer. (4/5/2017)
Steve Pearce. (4/5/2017)
Scott Perry. (4/5/2017)
Bill Posey. (4/6/2017)
Mark Sanford. (4/6/2017)
David Schweikert. (4/6/2017)
Randy Weber. (4/7/2017)

Donald Trump declares war on Freedom Caucus: The Randy Weber edition

@realDonaldTrump

Source: Ballotpedia

Source: govtrack

Trump won 58.2% of the vote in Texas' 14th Congressional District. Advantage Weber.

Mark Johnson. (4/4/2017)
Raul Labrador. (4/4/2017)
Alex Mooney. (4/4/2017)
Gary Palmer. (4/5/2017)
Steve Pearce. (4/5/2017)
Scott Perry. (4/5/2017)
Bill Posey. (4/6/2017)
Mark Sanford. (4/6/2017)
David Schweikert. (4/6/2017)

Thursday, April 6, 2017

Donald Trump declares war on Freedom Caucus: The David Schweikert edition

@realDonaldTrump

Sources: Ballotpedia, Federal Elections Commission (2010)

Source: govtrack

Trump won 52.4% of the vote in Arizona's 6th Congressional District. Big advantage Schweikert.

Mark Johnson. (4/4/2017)
Raul Labrador. (4/4/2017)
Alex Mooney. (4/4/2017)
Gary Palmer. (4/5/2017)
Steve Pearce. (4/5/2017)
Scott Perry. (4/5/2017)
Bill Posey. (4/6/2017)
Mark Sanford. (4/6/2017)

UPDATE. No mention as to whether the list is prioritized

Breitbart News, 4/3/2017

In at least one case, guys, the Library of Congress has beaten you to it. The group, known as the United Cyber Caliphate (UCC) hacking group linked to the Islamic State, urges “lone wolf” attackers to kill anyone on the list, claiming that they will soon publish the home addresses of those involved. 7,848 of the 8,787 people named on the list are Americans.

4/1/2017 update, "Breitbart News, National Enquirer: One and the same", starts here.

Photo taken while waiting in checkout line at Hy-Vee.

3/11/2017 update, " Breitbart, exclusively, gets the willies again over possible Trump assassination attempt", starts here.

That's why he spends so much time at Mar-a-Lago.

March 11, 2017