Saturday, September 8, 2018

Kevin McCarthy is a poor reader at best or a mental lightweight at worst


Highlights added

Column A.   I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.  (The New York Times, 9/5/2018)

Column B.  A Top Republican Fires Back at ‘Anonymous’.  (The New York Times, 9/7/2018)

UPDATE. Greetings from Trump's America: Knox County, Illinois, where job loss and unemployment are up since Trump has been president




Reported in Growth Has Lifted Counties That Voted for Trump. Mostly, It’s the Wealthy Ones.  (The New York Times,  9/3/2018)


Original 5/13/2018 post, "Greetings from Trump's America", starts here.

Loyalty, unease in Trump's Midwest.  (Washington Post, 5/11/2018)
Bustos was keenly aware that one reason Trump had scored well was his ability, in contrast to Clinton, to relate to white, working-class voters. A week earlier, during an interview in her congressional office, she had ticked through the damage over two decades. A plant in Knox County that had gone to Mexico. Jobs lost in Stephenson County through multiple company closings or reductions. A factory that was the lifeblood of a town in Jo Daviess County that had shut down. The steel plant in Whiteside County that was long gone, but whose departure was still felt. 
Bustos knew that workers were losing faith in Clinton during the campaign. “You could just feel it,” she said. “You go into these labor halls and guns would always come up. I don’t care where I [would] go, it would be like the first question. . . . Where’s Hillary stand on guns?”

The population of Knox County peaked in 1980.
Source:  Wikipedia




Source: Wikipedia

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.  (9/8/2018 update)
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
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.  (8/6/2018)
Franklin County, (8/14/2017)
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)
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)
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
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)

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.  (9/2/2017)
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)
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)
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.  (10/21/2017)
Richland County.  (11/10/2017)
Sauk County.  (5/14/2018)
Sawyer County.  (3/20/2017)
Taylor County.  (3/19/2017)
Vernon County.  (5/14/2018)
Waushara County.  (2/6/2017)
Winnebago County.  (11/27/2017)
Wood County.  (3/8/2018)

Maybe it will rain, maybe it won't


Photo creditTwitter

Trump Thumps Don't Cause Stock Slumps. (YThe New York Times, 9/6/2018)

When it comes to a 'divisive, political sideshow', Trump's good buddy Scott Walker is the unfortunate main event in Wisconsin..


Climate change as a matter of fact: A summer of record warm nights in the continental United States



Reported in Hot nights: Summer low temperatures were warmest on record in Lower 48.  (Washington Post, 9/6/2018)

Previous climate change as a matter of fact posts:
Africa
Cape Town, South Africa.  (1/31/2018)
Kenya.  (7/23/2017)

Asia
Record heat in Japan raises concerns over 2020 Olympics.  (7/23/2018)
Wet bulb temperatures in India.  (7/21/2018)
Lebanon's cedar trees.  (7/19/2018)
Rising seas + draining underground aquifers = Jakarta disaster.  (12/22/2017)

Australia and the Pacific
Dying coral of the Great Barrier Reef.  (4/22/2018)
Easter Island.  (3/18/2018)
Green sea turtles of the Great Barrier Reef.  (1/11/2018)
Kiribati.  (7/6/2016)

Europe
Portugal.  (6/19/2017)
The Netherlands.  (6/19/2017)
Norway, Finland, and Sweden.  (7/19/2018)

North America
Hampton Roads, Virginia.  (8/19/2018)
Front-page news at Des Moines Register.  (8/12/2018)
Miami, again.  (6/14/2018)
May 2018 record heat in U.S. (6/9/2018)
Miami.  (5/4/2018)
Melting outdoor ice rinks in Canada.  (3/21/2018)
Gulf of Maine.  (3/8/2018)
Jean Lafitte, Louisiana.  (2/26/2018)
Lodi, Wisconsin.  (2/3/2018)
Maine shrimp season.  (12/27/2017)
California fires.  (12/8/2017)
Wisconsin.  (11/16/2017)
Hampton Roads, Virginia.  (11/4/2017)
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)
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)
Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park.  (7/7/2016)

Polar regions
Disappearing old ice in Arctic.  (6/4/2018)
North Pole.  (2/28/2018)
Beavers migrate to Arctic.  (12/24 /2017)
Shrinking sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.  (12/14/2017)
Emaciated polar bear.  (12/9/2017)

South America
Peru.  (11/26/2017)
Brazil.  (6/8/2017)
Bolivia.  (7/11/2016)
Peru,  (5/21/2016)

U.S. Military
Military prepares for reality of climate change, rising seas.  (8/11/2018)
U.S. military bases around the world.  (1/8/2018)
U.S. Department of Defense.  (12/16/2017)
U.S. military bases.  (9/22/2017)

Worldwide
Not just a wake-up call anymore.  (8/10/2018)

8 years later, the physical book is still in widespread use


Industry Sales Dipped 1.4% in First Half of 2018.  (Publishers Weekly, 9/7/2018)
For ebooks, a slightly smaller slice of the revenue pie.  Sales of e-books, meanwhile, fell again; they dropped 4.5% and accounted for 20% of adult book sales in the first six months of 2018. In the comparable period in 2017, the format generated 21.8% of revenue. 


Reported in Nicholas Negroponte: The Physical Book Is Dead In 5 Years.  (TechCrunch, 8/5/2010)

Related reading:
The revival of vinyl records.  (Forbes)

Bond rating service throws bucket of water on Scott Walker's Foxconn fever dream


Graphic from @ScottWalker

Reported in Mount Pleasant’s bond rating downgraded amid millions in Foxconn-related borrowing.  (Daily Reporter, 9/7/2018)

Related posts:
UPDATE.  The indefatigable Louis Woo.  (8/30/2018)
UPDATE: Goofy Scott Walker sure to offend voters all over the state with Foxconn headgear and desperate re-election message.  (7/31/2018)
Dear Scott Walker, We're waiting for a list to back up your bullshit 60 counties claim.  (7/6/2018)
UPDATE. Dear Scott Walker, Most voters aren't buying your Foxconn benefits BS.  (6/24/2018)
Yet another example of how poorly Foxconn treats its employees.  (6/11/2018)
Wisconsin cities with highest unemployment rates could use some of that Chicago millennials Foxconn love that Scott Walker is dishing out.  (1/27/2018)
Historic giveaways: Most expensive taxpayer-funded jobs in history is Scott Walker's top accomplishment in 2017.  (12/26/2017)
Gateway Technical College cutting-edge Foxconn curriculum does not include workforce development, employee relations, and management concepts.  (12/25/2017)
Foxconn job projections: Reality bites a hole in Scott Walker's bubble world.  (9/10/2017)
UPDATE. Funny how there's all this talk about Foxconn jobs that pay well below the alleged average salary.  (8/12/2017)
Of which just 3,000 of these 'new' jobs are permanent.  (7/31/2017)
While Wisconsin and Michigan duke it out for low-paying jobs, Foxconn announces $5 billion investment in India.  (7/8/2017)

He's not glad about it. Woman cleans out her ex-boyfriend's possessions down to the sandwich baggies.



Reported in Sturtevant woman allegedly tries selling ex’s swimming pool, lawn mower, video games on Facebook. (Madison.com, 9/7/2018)

Friday, September 7, 2018

16 days after the storm in Madison: Flooding in the East Washington-East Mifflin area

Red arrow on map below
Photos by Retiring Guy

 Orange arow

Yellow arrow

Green arrow

 Blue arrow

Map without arrows found here.




Full report: Extended dry stretch forecast, but flooding far from over for southern Wisconsin.  (Wisconsin State Journal)

After the storm in Middleton (and Madison) posts:
Pheasant Branch Trail at Park Street (part 2).  (8/21/2018)
Confluence Pond expands to become Confluence Lake.  (8/22/2018)
Powerwashing between the Beltline and Parmenter Street.  (8/22/2018)
Along Pheasant Branch Creek east of Parmenter Street.  (8/23/2018)
Costco and environs.  (8/23/2018 update)
Entrance to Esser Place parking lot, then and now.  (8/24/2018)
Longmeadow Drive and Stricker's Pond, then and now.  (8/24/2018)
Greenway Station is open for business.  (8/24/2018 update)
Views of Pheasant Branch Creek from Parmenter Street bridge.  (8/25/2018 update)
Intersection of U.S. highway 14 and Deming Way.  (8/27/2018 update)
Century Avenue and entrances to Pheasant Branch Conservancy trails.  (8/27/2018)
UW Health administration office building.  (8/27/2018)
Longmeadow Gulch.  (8/28/2018)
Stricker's Pond footpath.  (8/28/2018)
Tiedeman Pond access at Pond Drive.  (8/31/2018 update)
Pheasant Branch Trail at Park Street (part 1).  (9/3/2018 update)
Woodside Heights Park.  (9/4/2018 update)
Voss Parkway.  (9/4/2018 update)
Stricker's Pond.  (9/4/2018 update)
The dual dead ends of Middleton Street.  (9/4/2018 update)
Stricker's Park.  (9/4/2018 update)
Tiedeman Pond pumping.  (9/7/2018 update)
Boardwalk access ramp to Tiedeman Pond.  (9/7/2018 update)

Esther Lauffenburger Lundberg (1922-2018) Warren High School class of 1939



1939 Dragon yearbook

Esther's high school activities:
Girls' Club (1, 3); Stenographers' Club (4).

1967 Warren City Directory  
  • In the Warren County Township Directory sectionWalter and  Esther are listed as living at 449 Yankee Bush Road 
1983 Warren City Directory
  • ditto

Continuing her late 19th-century popularity (#37 during the 1890s), Esther spent the first 36 years of the 1900s in the top 100.   After bottoming out in 1970, she has atttempted to make a comeback, which appears to be gaining momentum of late.  She has moved up 95 places since 2010.


Other members of the WHS class of 1939:
2017
Arvilla Ittle Erickson.  (12/20/2017)
Julia Ellen Scalise Papalia.  (09/20/2017)
Jane Perry Campbell.  (8/3/2017)
Helen Augusta Ashbaugh.  (7/10/2017)
Florence Scalise.  (1/9/2017)

2016
Heath Ferrie.  (11/28/2016)
Ross Morell.  (5/18/2016)
Anna Mae Seder Bleech.  (3/22/2016)

2015
Helen Huck Mead.  (12/7/2015)
John Shanshala.  2/28/2015)

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)


And it heads up this week's class with a peak position of #2 and a total 13 weeks on the chart..


Related links:
Crazy World of Arthur Brown  (Still touring)
AllMusic review

My favorite of this week's debut singles.

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.

It's a sloooooooow news day at PolitiFact Wisconsin



Democrat Dan Kohl, nephew of Herb, is challenging two-term GOP buffoon Glenn Grothman to represent Wisconsin in the 6th Congressional District, which has been reliably red for decades.  The bar graph below provides a partial picture.

Source:  Ballotpedia

Republican Tom Petri represented the district from 1979 to 2014.

The art of the Wisconsin gerrymander
Source:  govtrack

Get me rewrite: 98% of poll respondents don't know what the fuck they're talking about



Screenshot from Dan Kohl’s J Street A Feeder, Endorser Of Far Left Candidates And Causes.  (MadIver Insittute, the Free Market Voice for Wisconsin, 9/6/2018)

'Free market' means the 1% can do anything they wish to the rest of us.

What did you expect from a company that received a torrent of environmental regulation rollbacks?



Reported in Torrent of stormwater spills from Foxconn construction site after heavy weekend rains.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/6/2018)

I am sure we can take Claude's reassurances to the bank.

Related reading:
Wisconsin Foxconn Deal Waives Environmental Regulations.  (Wisconsin Public Radio, 7/28/2018)

Related posts:
Like the oil patch boom in western North Dakota, Foxconn is going to have an impact on law enforcement in southeastern Wisconsin.  (7/10/2018)
The toxic possibilities of Foxconn's wastewater discharge.  (3/8/2018)
Matt, it doesn't appear that 'rigorous' and 'review' are in Scott Walker's and Foxconn's vocabulary.  (7/29/2017)
Scott Walker and Foxconn steamroll environmental regulation going forward.  (7/29/2017)

UPDATE. Good riddance to Leslie Moonves, Donald Trump enabler



Related reading:
CBS Board Declines to Take Immediate Action Against CEO Les Moonves After Misconduct Allegations.  (TIME, 7/30/2018)
The departure of Moonves, 68, who’s led the company since 2006, would be a blow. CBS is locked in a battle with National Amusements Inc., led by Shari Redstone, over her desire to recombine the company with Viacom Inc., another family holding.

11/14/2016 update, "60 Minutes 'damn good for CBS'", starts here.

The Wrap, 11/14/2016


Original 11/9/2016 post, "Thank you for all you do, Leslie Moonves", starts here.

Photo credit:  Wikipedia
Quote source:   Hollywood Reporter, 2/29/2016


As quoted in CBS Chairman Les Moonves Loves GOP Attack Ad Spending: ‘Go Donald!’.  (The Wrap, 12/17/2015)

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Welcome to Scott Walker's divisive, political sideshow


@ScottWalker
(aka @residentofdesperationcity)

Related article:
How Do Americans Feel About The NFL Protests? It Depends On How You Ask. (FiveThirtyEight, 10/7/2017)

Politico: California 39th congressional district is a toss-up


Open seat.  Republican Edward Royce is retiring after serving 13 terms in the U.S. House


Source:  Ballotpedia

Most definitely not Trump country.  He received a smaller percentage of the votes than Romney and McCain.
Trump received 42.9% of the vote in 2016 compared to 50.8% for Romney in 2012 and 49.0% for McCain in 2008.

Clinton received 51.5% of the vote in 2016 compared to 47.1% for Obama in 2012 and 47.0% for Obama in 2008. 

Source:  govtrack

Other U.S. House 2018 election outlooks:
Martha McSally, Arizona 2nd.  (10/8/2017)

Jeff Denham, California 10th.  (10/9/2017)
David Valadao, California 21st.   (10/10/2017)
Steve Knight, California 25th.  (10/11/2017)
Ed Royce, California 29th.  (10/12/2017)
Mimi Walters, California 45th.  (2/12/2018)

Scott Tipton, Colorado 3rd.  (9/1/2018)

Dennis Ross, Florida 15th.  (4/12/2018)
Brian Mast, Florida 18th.  (10/13/2017)
Carlos Curbelo, Florida 26th.  (10/14/2017)
Florida 27th.  (8/31/2018)

Peter Roskam, Illinois 6th.  (9/1/2018)
Mike Bost, Illinois 12th. (10/15/2017)

Rod Blum, Iowa 1st.  (2/12/2018)
David Young, Iowa 3rd.  (9/2/2018)

Kevin Yoder, Kansas 3rd.  (10/16/2017)

Andy Barr, Kentucky 6th.  (2/12/2018)

Mike Bishop, Michigan 8th.  (2/12/2018)

Jason Lewis, Minnesota 2nd.  (7/18/2018)
Erik Paulsen, Minnesota 3rd.  (10/17/2017)

Don Bacon, Nebraska 2nd.  (10/18/2017)

Tom MacArthur, New Jersey 3rd.  (10/19/2017)
Leonard Lance, New Jersey 7th.  (2/14/2018)

Lee Zeldin, New York 1st.  (2/12/2018)
John Faso, New York 19th.  (2/12/2018)
Claudia Tenney, New York 22nd.  (10/21/2017)
John Katko, New York 24th.  (2/12/2018)

Steve Chabot, Ohio 1st. (2/12/2018)

Ryan Costello, Pennsylvania 6th.  (10/23/2017)
Pennsylvania 7th.  (8/29/2018)

Will Hurd, Texas 23rd.  (4/15/2018)
Pete Sessions, Texas 32nd.  (4/15/2018)

Scott Taylor, Virginia 2nd.  (8/28/2018)
Disgraced Tom Garrett.  Virginia 5th.  (9/2/2018)
David Brat, Virginia 7th.  (9/2/2018)

West Virginia 3rd.  (8/28/2018)