Retiring Guy's Digest: 2019-01-13

Saturday, January 19, 2019

Photos from the website of all-male Covington Catholic High School

The challenge: Find a person of color

All photos found at Covington Catholic High School

CovCath faces backlash after video of incident at Indigenous Peoples March surfaces. (Cincinnati Enquirer, 1/19/2019)

The video shows a young man wearing a "Make America Great Again" cap standing near to and staring at a man who is drumming as other young men surrounding them jeer and chant. Some of the onlookers appear to wear clothing bearing insignia from Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills.

The indigenous man holding a drum was participating in an Indigenous Peoples March. He was identified as Nathan Phillips, a Vietnam veteran and Native American elder of the Omaha tribe, by Indian Country Today.

People across social media platforms condemned the incident as an attempt by the group of young men to intimidate the marchers and called for a response from Covington Catholic.

Laura Keener, the communications director with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington, released a brief statement at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday:

Covington is located in Kenton County.

Source; U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts

Scott Walker's legacy: Blaming his predecessor

@ScottWalker

January 2010 was also the final year of Jim Doyle's second term as Wisconsin Governor. It was the state's peak month of high unemployment as a result of the Great Recession. By the time Walker was sworn into office, the unemployment rate had fallen 1.2 percentage points, so it's not as though he had to turn anything around.

Related 'blame Jim Doyle' posts:
2017-2018
UPDATE. Repub Scott Walker remembers Jim Doyle again. (2/18/2018)
Dear Scott Walker, Under the last governor, the United States entered the Great Recession. (2/2/2018)

2016
Panicked over low approval ratings, fearing another scandal, Scott Walker plays Doyle card again. (8/31/2016)
In his 6th year as Governor, Scott Walker still finds time to blame Jim Doyle. (6/9/2016)

2015
Wait a minute! Did Laurel Patrick just blame Jim Doyle? (12/18/2015)
Headline News: Dishing out blame is a Scott Walker specialty. (5/6/2015)
Alberta Darling and John Nygren, co-chairs of the 'powerful' Joint Finance Committee, join Scott Walker in a chorus of 'Blame Jim Doyle'. (4/30/2015)
The Blame Game: With nothing to show in his 5th year as Governor, Scott Walker continues to claim, "It's Jim Doyle's fault!" (4/24/2015)
After taking the advice of Iowa conservatives, Scott Walker blames Jim Doyle for casino decision. (1/24/2015)

2014
Scott Walker in so many words: Jim Doyle responsible for 1.5% of U.S. job loss during Great Recession. (9/2/2014)
Can't helping himself, Scott Walker thinks running against Jim Doyle is the best strategy. (8/31/2014)
The Facts Are: Scott Walker has nothing to run on. (8/24/2014)
What a whiner! With no accomplishments of his own to trumpet, Scott Walker runs against Jim Doyle ...again. (6/20/2014)
Four years later and Scott Walker is still running against Jim Doyle. (3/4/2014)
Another John Doe Shocker: Scott Walker doesn't blame Jim Doyle (2/21/2014)
Blame Doyle: Republican Governors Association pimp for Scott Walker like it's 2010. (2/13/2014)
After taking the advice of Iowa conservatives, Scott Walker blames Jim Doyle for casino decision. (1/24/2015)
Scott Walker in so many words: Jim Doyle responsible for 1.5% of U.S. job loss during Great Recession. (9/2/2014)
Can't helping himself, Scott Walker thinks running against Jim Doyle is the best strategy. (8/31/2014)
The Facts Are: Scott Walker has nothing to run on. (8/24/2014)
What a whiner! With no accomplishments of his own to trumpet, Scott Walker runs against Jim Doyle ...again. (6/20/2014)
Four years later and Scott Walker is still running against Jim Doyle. (3/4/2014)
Another John Doe Shocker: Scott Walker doesn't blame Jim Doyle (2/21/2014)
Blame Doyle: Republican Governors Association pimp for Scott Walker like it's 2010. (2/13/2014)

More on Scott Walker's legacy:
The first 3 chapters: environment, transportation, corrections.
Chapter 4: Wisconsin families can't afford basic necessities edition. (12/12/2018)
Chapter 5. Scott Walker's shameful legacy: The black-white high-school graduation gap edition. (12/12/2018)
Chapter 6. Scott Walker's shameful legacy (the higher education edition). (12/13/2018)
Taking credit where no credit is due. (1/7/2019)
Not telling the whole story. (1/7/2019)
Gliding over the disparities. (1/7/2019)
Voter suppression. (1/7/2019)
Teacher bashing compounded by cuts to education. (1/8/2019)
Just fine and dandy with treading water over high school graduation rates. (1/8/2019)
And then, to make matters worse, he apparently hacks his son's Twitter account. (1/9/2019)
Dear Scott Walker, You forgot to mention this part of "OUR LEGACY". Best, Retiring Guy. (1/12/2019)
Scott Walker's toxic legacy: "Power to the people" hypocrisy" (Taking away local control). (1/12/2019)
Pay to play the groundwater contamination way. (1/12/2019)
Addicted to political slogans. (1/12/2019)
The Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake youth prison scandal. (1/16/2019)
Job creation and broken promises, Foxconn and in general. (1/19/2019)

Friday, January 18, 2019

The latest Trump swamp thing

Washington Post, 1/16 /2019

The next day, in Washington, staffers at the Trump International Hotel were handed a list of incoming “VIP Arrivals.” That day’s list included nine of T-Mobile’s top executives — including its chief operating officer, chief technology officer, chief strategy officer and chief financial officer, and its outspoken celebrity chief executive, John Legere.

The executives had scheduled stays of up to three days.

But it was not their last visit. Instead, T-Mobile executives have returned to President Trump’s hotel repeatedly since then, according to eyewitnesses and hotel documents obtained by The Washington Post.

No wonder Legere is buttering up Trump.

April 2015

November 2015

November 2016 groveling

After opposing Trump, Sprint and T-Mobile CEOs aim to mend fences. (Recode, 11/11/2016)

Related posts:
2019
What is the opposite of 'drain the swamp'? (1/25/2019)

2018
T he Trump Swamp is full of lobbyist-related critters. (7/18/2018)
What is the opposite of drain the swamp? (5/14/2018)
Swamp thing Scott Pruitt and his lobbyist buddy ride the Marrakesh Express. (5/2/2018)
UPDATE. Dear Coral and Lisa, Analysts? How about 'anti-environment Republican' and 'energy industry shill'? (4/29/2018)
No drainage here UPDATE: Scott Pruitt fills the swamp a 24/7 gushing hose. (4/3/2018)

2017
Like a swamp after an extended downpour, Donald Trump's Washington D.C. is flooding. (11/15/2017)
Siding with Wall Street, GOP continues to fill the swamp. (10/25/2017)
Trump administration plans to flood the for-profit colleges swamp. (10/1/2017)
UPDATE. More than 4 months into his presidency, Trump blathers about draining the swamp. (6/8/2017)
Swamp critter of the Trump administration: Geoffrey Burr, Dept. of Transportation chief of staff. (6/7/2017)

CES 2019: Augment your view of the world with Focals by North

North

10 wearable devices that stole the show at CES 2019. (CRN, 1/16/2019)

Other 2019 CES posts:
December 2018
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)
Don't worry, you won't have to throw away your stupid shoes. (12/31/2018)

January 2019
Samsung is building The Wall. (1/6/2019)
Hypnbos smart sleep mask. (1/8/2019)
Hyundai creates a car with body parts. (1/9/2019)
Intimate messager banned, gender bias alleged. (1/13/2019)
Why brush? Because they'll soon be Y-Brush! (1/13/2019)
Auto Sense wireless charger car mount. (1`/13/2019)
EyeForcer improves posture without nagging parents. (1/14/2019)

Quell your pain. (1/17/2019)
Muse 2. (1/17/2018)

"I Got a Line on You" by Spirit debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending January 18, 1969

One of the best singles of the year never cracked the top 10. "I Got a Line on You" by Spirit (mostly forgotten) was the band's 1st of 4 singles to chart on the Hot 100, the other 3 not making much of a dent.

None of the singles debuting this week reached the top 10 but a few were in heavy rotation on most "top 40" radio stations from mid-January into February: "But I Know I Love You", "May I" (at least in Buffalo), "Will You Be Staying After Sunday" (a one-hit wonder regularly heard on oldies stations nowadays), and "Mendocino".

Billboard Hot 100

Related article:
Who Were Spirit , the Band from Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway' Trial? (Rolling Stone, 6/10/2016)

Spirit came together in 1967 in Los Angeles with an unconventional lineup. Drummer Ed Cassidy was 44, a veteran of World War II as well as the West Coast jazz scene – and his stepson Randy Wolfe, who took the name Randy California, became the singer/guitarist. California also had some experience under his belt as a former member of Jimi Hendrix’s short-lived group Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. With Spirit, Cassidy and California whipped up a heady, potent answer to San Francisco’s psychedelic scene via their 1968 self-titled debut, which featured a single called “Taurus.”

The instrumental, lush and symphonic, heralded the dawn of progressive rock just around the corner – and it also sported, among its many mini-movements, a descending guitar figure by California that the band later claimed was stolen by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page.

Disappearing cities and boroughs of the Keystone State: Arnold, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 10/7/2018

Like many communities in the area, Arnold used to be a factory town, home to Alcoa, American Window Glass and General Electric. Vibrant grocery stores and bars occupied every main corner in the mid-20th century, said Jim Thomas, Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society board president

But the industries and jobs began leaving in the 1960s and ’70s. Arnold’s economy was hit particularly hard because of its lack of access to Route 28 on the other side of the river, suggested Arnold Police Chief Eric Doutt, a lifelong resident.

The town now has the lowest median household income ($25,599) and highest poverty rate (36.3 percent) in Westmoreland County, according to the 2016 American Community Survey five-year estimates.

Source: Wikipedia

Arnold's population peaked at 10,898 in 1940. Its 2016 estimated population is 4,939 -- a drop of 55%.

The City of Arnold is located in Westmoreland County, on the Allegheny River 23 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The county's population peaked at 392,294 in 1980. Its 2017 estimated population is 352,627, a drop of 10%.

Other disappearing cities and boroughs of the Keystone State

Aliquippa. (1/12/2019)
Ambridge. (1/17/2019)
Johnstown. (1/6/2019)
Pittsburgh. (1/13/2019)
Scranton. (1/14/2019)

Other U.S. disappearing cities:
Baltimore, Maryland. (12/31/2018)
Benton Harbor, Michigan. (1/15/2019)
Buffalo, New York, (1/8/2019)
Cairo, Illinois. (1/5/2019)
Cleveland, Ohio (1/2/2019)
Detroit, Michigan. (1/1/2019)
East St. Louis, Illinois. (1/11/2019)
Flint, Michigan. (1/7/2019)
Gary, Indiana. (1/4/2019)
St. Louis, Missouri. (1/2/2019)
Wheeling, West Virginia. (1/16/2019)
Youngstown, Ohio. (1/9/2019)

Point/counterpoint: Trump re-election

Headline from Real Clear Politics, 1/17/2019 (Photo: Wikipedia)

The continuing GOP obsession with young women of color recently elected to Congress. The public has been hearing a lot from radical new House representatives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). Their pledges to deliver "Medicare for All," to phase out fossil fuels and to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service are occasionally delivered with snark. Tlaib recently used profanity to punctuate her desire to see Trump impeached.

Photo and healdine from PBS News Hour

The breakdown

It sure looks like a Trump shutdown to me

Under water by 14.5 percentage points

Source: Real Clear Politics

Trump loses support among his core voting groups as the shutdown drags on, polls say. (CNBC, 1/17/2019)

15.3 percentage points at FiveThirtyEight

Thursday, January 17, 2019

CES 2019: Muse 2, the mind-heart-breath-body meditation headband

10 Wearable Devices That Stole The Show At CES 2019. (CRN, 1/16/2019)

Amazon reviews are more mixed than Quell. From "Life-changing device, now with a wonderful upgrade" (5 stars) to "Mixed bag" (3 stars) to "Was hoping it would work" (1 star).

Other 2019 CES posts:
December 2018
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)
Don't worry, you won't have to throw away your stupid shoes. (12/31/2018)

January 2019
Samsung is building The Wall. (1/6/2019)
Hypnbos smart sleep mask. (1/8/2019)
Hyundai creates a car with body parts. (1/9/2019)
Intimate messager banned, gender bias alleged. (1/13/2019)
Why brush? Because they'll soon be Y-Brush! (1/13/2019)
Auto Sense wireless charger car mount. (1`/13/2019)
EyeForcer improves posture without nagging parents. (1/14/2019)
Quell your pain. (1/17/2019)

CES 2019: Quell your pain

10 Wearable Devices That Stole The Show At CES 2019. (CRN, 1/16/2019)

Quell is a wearable device from NeuroMetrix that provides an over-the-country, drug-free solution for treating chonric pain. The device uses advanced neurotechnology to stimulate sensor nerves, sending neural pulses to the brain and blocking pain signals. ($299)

Amaon reviews:

From "This is a gift from God!" (5 stars) to "Awesome product but.....(3 stars) to "Did not work for me" (1 star).

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)
Don't worry, you won't have to throw away your stupid shoes. (12/31/2018)
Samsung is building The Wall. (1/6/2019)
Hypnbos smart sleep mask. (1/8/2019)
Hyundai creates a car with body parts. (1/9/2019)
Intimate messager banned, gender bias alleged. (1/13/2019)
Why brush? Because they'll soon be Y-Brush! (1/13/2019)
Auto Sense wireless charger car mount. (1`/13/2019)
EyeForcer improves posture without nagging parents. (1/14/2019)

Disappearing cities and boroughs of the Keystone State; Ambridge, Pennsylvania

The New York Times, 11/9/2016

This former steel town west of Pittsburgh was for decades a Democratic stronghold, where Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms are proclaimed on a memorial in the small town park. But industrial decline and what is perceived as too fast cultural change in the country at large has transformed Ambridge and the rest of Beaver County around it, with the yards of faded brick homes presenting a river of Trump signs.

Source: Wikipedia

Ambridge's population peaked at 20,227 in 1930. Its 2016 estimated population is 6,787 -- a drop of 66%.

Like Aliquippa, the Borough of Ambridge is located in Beaver County, part of the western section of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county's population peaked at 206,948 in 1960. Its 2017 estimated population is 165,140, a drop of 20%.

Other disappearing cities and boroughs of the Keystone State

Aliquippa. (1/12/2019)
Johnstown. (1/6/2019)
Pittsburgh. (1/13/2019)
Scranton. (1/14/2019)

Other U.S. disappearing cities:
Baltimore, Maryland. (12/31/2018)
Benton Harbor, Michigan. (1/15/2019)
Buffalo, New York, (1/8/2019)
Cairo, Illinois. (1/5/2019)
Cleveland, Ohio (1/2/2019)
Detroit, Michigan. (1/1/2019)
East St. Louis, Illinois. (1/11/2019)
Flint, Michigan. (1/7/2019)
Gary, Indiana. (1/4/2019)
St. Louis, Missouri. (1/2/2019)
Wheeling, West Virginia. (1/16/2019)
Youngstown, Ohio. (1/9/2019)

Democratic candidates for President in 2020: The list will continue to grow

Democrats running for President as of 11/16/2019

Related reading:
John Delaney: Why I'm running for president. (Washington Post, 7/28/2017)
Richard Ojeda: I am running for president. (Wayne County News, 11/14/2018)
'We Can Win': Elizabeth Warren Outlines 2020 Presidential Bid. (NPR, 12/31/2018)
Tulsi Gabbard says she will run for president in 2020. (CNN, 1/12/2019)
Former HUD secretary Julián Castro joins 2020 Democratic presidential field. (Washington Post, 1/12/2019)
Kirsten Gillibrand to Stephen Colbert: 'I'm going to run' for president. (Buffalo News, 1/15/2019)

Republicans in states far from the Mexico border propose giving money to Trump for his wall

West Virginia: Proposal to Give $10 Million for Trump's Border Wall. (VOA News, 1/15/2019)

Last week a Republican lawmaker in Montana proposed giving more than $8 million for the wall, while senators in South Dakota senators voted to urge construction of a steel barrier.

The sponsors in West Virginia are Delegates Carl “Robbie'' Martin, R-Upshur; Patrick Martin, R-Lewis; and Caleb Hanna, R-Webster. Robbie and Patrick Martin are brothers

All of these states have a much higher proportion of white residents.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (above and below)

Largest minority group:

18.1% Hispanic in the U.S.
9.0% Native American in South Dakota
6.7% Native American in Montana
3.6% African-American in West Virginia

Source: West Virginia Legislature

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Trump's America headline news timeline

December 19, 2018

The New York Times

December 20, 2018

Business Insider

January 6, 2019

Washington Post

January 7, 2019

Vox

January 16, 2019

Madison.com

Picture shown is for illustration purposes only, actual item may vary due to product enhancement: Simple Mills cookie edition

Darker, smaller, tasteless

Inc. 9/22/2014

Once bitten, twice shy. Bought two boxes on sale at Willy Street Coop. (The other is chocolate chip.) Never again.

Next time I have a craving, I'll make my own damn cookies.

What you see is what you get.

Photo by Retiring Guy

Kim Reynolds/Steve King UPDATE. As far as I'm concerned, this campaign co-chair thing is the smoking gun

Kim Reynolds needed to do well in Iowa's 4th congressional district to win the governor's race.

Now, comfortably ensconced in Terrace Hill, she's pushing her way to the head of the condemnation line.

Source: Des Moines Register

Original 11/14/2018 post, "In a big, bold move, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds waits til after the election to chastise the despicable Steve King", starts here.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds bluntly tells Steve King to decide future amid racism allegations. (Des Moines Register, 11/13/2018)

What took you so long? Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signaled Tuesday she's lost her patience with U.S. Rep. Steve King, who narrowly won a ninth term in the U.S. House last week despite a firestorm of criticism for aligning himself with far-right European politicians and repeatedly making remarks many have deemed racist.

Clearly, in what was expected to be a very close election, Reynolds didn't want to offend voters who actually like what Steve King says about immigrants, minorities, and the LGBT community.

Source: Real Clear Politics

Source: Des Moines Register

Source: Iowa Public Radio

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Disappearing U.S. city of the day: Benton Harbor, Michigan

Source: Wikipedia

Benton Harbor's population peaked at 19,136 in 1960. Its 2017 estimated population is 9,860 -- a drop of 48%.

Benton Harbor is located in Berrian County. The county's population peaked at 171,276 in 1980. Its 2017 estimated population is 154,259, a drop of 10%.

The twin cities of Berrian County

Source: Wikipedia

St. Joseph's population peaked at 11,755 in 1960. Its 2017 estimated population is 8.363 -- a drop of or 29%.

Related reading:

Bridging the Gap Between Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. (Michigan Radio, 11/17/2011)

We've been talking a lot about class, what it means, and how we define it.

We took a trip to St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. They’re called the Twin Cities, but they're different.

In Benton Harbor forty-three percent of families live below the poverty line.

In St. Joseph it’s six percent.

The disappearing cities:
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. (1/12/2019)
Baltimore, Maryland. (12/31/2018)
Buffalo, New York, (1/8/2019)
Cairo, Illinois. (1/5/2019)
Cleveland, Ohio (1/2/2018)
Detroit, Michigan. (1/1/2019)
East St. Louis, Illinois. (1/11/2019)
Flint, Michigan. (1/7/2019)
Gary, Indiana. (1/4/2019)
Johnstown, Pennsylvania. (1/6/2019)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (1/13/2019)
St. Louis, Missouri. (1/2/2019)
Scranton, Pennsylvania. (1/14/2019)
Youngstown, Ohio. (1/9/2019)