Retiring Guy's Digest: 2019-08-04

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Boys' clubs: Township government in Wisconsin (Dane County edition)

Of the 134 elected officials in Dane County's 33 townships, 87% are men.

Source: Dane County Directory, 2019-2020

Population loss in North Dakota: Steele County

It all started here.

Population loss as in major -- 50% or more.

Source: Wikipedia (Steele County, Finley)

Finley is the county seat of Steele County.

Population loss by degrees: 80-90%, 70-79%, 60-69%, 50-59%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts

Percentage of population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree:

25.6% - Steele County
28.9% - North Dakota
30.9% - U.S.

Percentage of population 65 and older:

24.1% - Steele County
15.3% - North Dakota
15.6% - U.S.

Trump's America

Source: Wikipedia

3rd-party candidates received 19.6% of vote in 1992, 9.7% of vote in 1996, 10% in 2016

(George Wallace received 4.3% of the vote in 1968)

Finley Public Library (open 5.5 hours per week)

Other North Dakota posts:

Divide County/Crosby. (7/23/2019)
Golden Valley County/Beach. (7/24/2019)
Billings County/Medora. (7/24/2019)
Slope County/Amidon. (7/25/2019)
Adams County/Hettinger. (7/25/2019)
Hettinger County/Mott. (7/26/2019)
Dunn County/Manning. (7/26/2019)
Burke County/Bowbells. (7/28/2019)
Ranville County/Mohall. (7/29/2019)
OIiver County/Center. (7/30/2019)
Grant County/Carson. (8/1/2019)
Emmons County/Linton. (8/1/2019)
Sheridan County/McClusky. (8/3/2019)
McHenry County/Towner. (8/3/2019)
Bottineau County/Bottineau. (8/4/2019)
Pierce County/Rugby. (8/4/2019)
Wells County/Fessenden. (8/5/2019)
Kidder County/Steele. (8/5/2019)
Logan County/Napoleon. (8/6/2019)
McIntosh County/Ashley. (8/6/2019)
Dickey County/Ellendale. (8/7/2019)
LaMoure County/LaMoure. (8/7/2019)
Eddy County/New Rockford. (8/8/2019)
Towner County/Cando. (8/8/2019)
Cavalier County/Langdon. (8/9/2019)
Nelson County/Lakota. (8/9/2019)
Griggs County/Cooperstown. (8/10/2019)

Other population loss series:

Arkansas
Detroit metro

Pennsylvania
South Dakota

Population loss in North Dakota: Griggs County

It all started here.

Population loss as in major -- 50% or more.

Source: Wikipedia (Griggs County, Cooperstown)

Cooperstown is the county seat of Griggs County.

Population loss by degrees: 80-90%, 70-79%, 60-69%, 50-59%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts

Percentage of population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree:

22.6% - Griggs County
28.9% - North Dakota
30.9% - U.S.

Percentage of population 65 and older:

30.2% - Griggs County
15.3% - North Dakota
15.6% - U.S.

The last time Griggs County voted Democratic was 1976. Trump won 67% of the vote in 2016.

Griggs County Library, Cooperstown

Other North Dakota posts:

Other population loss series:

Arkansas
Detroit metro

Pennsylvania
South Dakota

Friday, August 9, 2019

When Robin Vos sez "JUMP!", John Behling asks, "How high?"

Photo credit: Linked in

UW Response to White Nationalism: Threaten Students Protesting Hate. (Wisconsin Examiner, 8/7/2019)

Related reading:
UW system Board of Regents elect its youngest president. (La Crosse Tribune, 6/9/2017)

Behling, of Eau Claire, is an attorney and vice president at the Weld Riley law firm, where he specializes in representing frac sand mining companies.

GET ME REWRITE: Li'l Donnie has his hair on fire over campaign contribution transparency

Yes, folks, it's a distraction to deflect our attention from the major damage Li'l Donnie's dad continues to inflict on our country.

Clearly, the Repubs are runnin' with it.

The New York Times, 8/8/2019

Retiring Guy thinks it's another kind of 'assment' Trump's big donors are feeling.

Embarassment.

In Wisconsin, we have the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign to shine a light on pay to play.

Scott Walker top 10

Diane did a lot more than just smile for Scotty.

Diane debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending April 18, 1964. It spent 13weeks on the chart, peaking at #10. The group had a modest follow-up hit the following year with "Marie", another 1920s-era chestnut.

Keeping tabs on Wisconsin dairy farmers who are 'over the hump'

'I can't raise a family off of milking cows anymore': Award-winning dairy farm forced to sell off herd. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/8/2019)

Plus dairy farming is a round-the-clock job. Since cows don't take a vacation, farmers rarely do either. If they want or need to travel, they hire people to look after their milking operations or rely on family and friends to do it for a few days. After 12 years of that, while also battling market headwinds that drain his bank account, Kuhl has finally had enough.

Curiously, reporter Meg Jones makes no mention of this Wisconsin dairy industry fact of life.

Wisconsin dairy farms: A portrait of loss. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/31/2019)

Reported in President Trump in Milwaukee says farmers are 'over the hump' as dairy farms continue to close in Wisconsin. ( Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/12/2019)

Wisconsin has lost 449 farms so far this year, a number on pace to set a record.

Wisconsin has lost one-quarter of its 10,000 dairy farms since 2014.

Population loss in North Dakota: Nelson County

It all started here.

Population loss as in major -- 50% or more.

Source: Wikipedia (Nelson County, Lakota)

Lakota is the county seat of Nelson County.

Population loss by degrees: 80-90%, 70-79%, 60-69%, 50-59%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts

Percentage of population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree:

20.5% - Nelson County
28.9% - North Dakota
30.9% - U.S.

Percentage of population 65 and older:

26.9% - Nelson County
15.3% - North Dakota
15.6% - U.S.

The last time Nelson County voted Democratic was 1964. Trump won 70% of the vote in 2016.

Lakota City Library

Other North Dakota posts:

Other population loss series:

Arkansas
Detroit metro

Pennsylvania
South Dakota

Population loss in North Dakota: Cavalier County

It all started here.

Population loss as in major -- 50% or more.

Source: Wikipedia (Cavalier County, Langdon)

Langdon is the county seat of Cavalier County.

Population loss by degrees: 80-90%, 70-79%, 60-69%, 50-59%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts

Percentage of population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree:

18.8% - Cavalier County
28.9% - North Dakota
30.9% - U.S.

Percentage of population 65 and older:

27.0% - Cavalier County
15.3% - North Dakota
15.6% - U.S.

The last time Cavalier County voted Democratic was 1976. Trump won 67.7% of the vote in 2016.

Cavalier County Public Library, Landgon

Other North Dakota posts:

Other population loss series:

Arkansas
Detroit metro

Pennsylvania
South Dakota

Thursday, August 8, 2019

With the triple-A Syracuse Mets, Tim Tebow is batting .163 with 98 strikeouts in 264 plate appearances

Which begs the question: Is there a Mendoza line in minor-league baseball?

Source: Baseball Reference

Related reading:
Opinion: Tim Tebow is a pretty good football player for a baseball prospect. (USA Today, 5/7/2019)

“It’s very difficult right now, some of the pitching that’s coming at him,” Syracuse manager Tony DeFrancesco told the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin. “He hadn’t seen much of that at Double-A last year. Guys are pounding him in and he has to learn how to make adjustments.”

But can he?

Clearly, the answer is 'no'.

3/22/2019 update, " Mets invite 31-year-old minor-leaguer with .244 batting average to spring training camp", starts here.

So far, he's batting .267 -- 4 for 15, all singles, with 0 runs scored and 0 runs batted in.

Mets invite Tim Tebow to big league spring training camp again. (USA Today, 1/17/2019)

8/27/2018 update, "And none of them is named Tim Tebow", starts here.

The New York Times, 8/19/2018

And yet....and yet.....

7/15/2018 update, " Tim Tebow plays in Eastern League all-star game because he's Tim Tebow', starts here.

Source: Eastern League

Tim Tebow doubles in first Eastern League All-Star Game at-bat. (USA Today, 7/11/2018)

The rest of the story. Tebow grounded out to shortstop in the fifth inning, flied out to left field in the seventh and, representing the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth, struck out swinging.

9/24/2017 update, " Tim Tebow finishes minor-league season with .226 batting average, 1 strikeout every 3.86 plate appearances", starts here.

Source: Baseball Reference

Not called up by the New York Mets. Yet. (Though the Mets has just 3 games left on their home schedule after today.)

Source: CBS Sports

Tim Tebow will return to the Mets in 2018, though a September call-up is uncertain. (CBS Sports, 9/1/2017)

Maybe I'm just a cynic, but I think the chances of Tebow getting a September call-up are pretty good. The Mets are out of the race and they have two regular outfielders on the disabled list (Michael Conforto and Yoenis Cespedes), so roster space and a lineup spot are available.

f the Mets were to bring Tebow up for their final homestand, they'd get a nice little late season attendance and merchandise sales boost. This is the entertainment business, and Tebow generates an awful lot of buzz, whether you like it or not. With the Mets out of the race, there's nothing to lose and lots to gain.

Related reading:
Tebow Called Up To Help Mets Pray For Season To Be Over. (The Kicker, 7/17/2017)

8/15/2017 update, "Tim Tebow goes 4 for 34 in last 10 games, now batting .228 for the season", starts here.

Source: MiLB

Batting average droped 31 points over the last 10 games.

Don't be surprised if the Mets call Tebow up in September. Seventeen games out of 1st place, 10 games below .500, their season is over as far as reaching the playoffs is concerned. Despite what Mets GM Sandy Alderson said in July, the team will need to generate some excitement to put more fannies in the seats at Citi Field through thte end of the regular season.

mlb.com (highlight added)

4/20/2017 update, "Tim Tebow's batting average drops 75 points during past 10 days", starts here.

Source: Columbia Fireflies (highlight added)

Fireflies rival trolls Tebow on Twitter. (The Island Packet, 3/21/2017)

On it’s social media account, the Drive, the Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, teed off on Tebow. It started off by making light of Tebow’s struggles at the plate during spring training, making ticket holders an offer of free hamburgers from Burger King should Tebow strike out three times or more during a game in their series in Greenville from June 13-15.

Original 4/10/2017 post, "Fetishizing Tim Tebow", starts here.

As in to treat him with extravagant irrational devotion.

USA Today, 4/9/2017

Photo credit: Major League Baseball

As the Associated Press pointed out after his first home run, this isn’t necessarily a sign that Tebow is going to be a slugger. He hit a home run during his first at-bat in the Instructional League last fall, but averaged .148 in 27 appearances* during spring training for the Mets,

*That would be 4 hits in 27 at-bats, lower than any other position player currently on the Mets roster.

As of this morning, he's batting .231 -- 3 for 13, with 2 home runs -- for the class-A Columbia Fireflies,

The 29-year-old Tim Tebow is playing baseball because he's Tim Tebow, not because he's earned it. He continues to keep a more deserving player off a minor-league baseball roster.

Naomi "Jeanette" Hatch Walstrom (1924-2019) Warren High School class of 1942

Source: Warren Times Observer

1942 Dragon yearbook

Jeanette's high school activities:

Science Club (4); Dragon (4); Girls' Club (4); Bookkeeping Club (3, 4); Carnival (2)

1967 Warren City Directory

Carroll and Jeannette Walstrom (sic) are listed in the county section as living at 141 Hatch Run Road

1983 Warren City Directory

Font Joseph L & Sandra L; general utility person Penelec h108 Franklin Street
Suppa Victor J & Gloria J; mechanic J & R Exxon Service h28 Kamp Street
Walstrom Jeanette nurse Warren State Hospital h141 Hatch Run Road
Walstrom Susan C nurse Warren General Hospital r141 Hatch Run Road

The popularity of Naomi as a baby name is graphed here. Let's take a look at granddaughter Nicole.

Source: Social Security Administration

Nicole debuted in 1942, but it wasn't until the early 1960s when she rocketed to popularity, besoming one of the most popular names for girls in the 1970s and 1980s. She spent 39 years in the top 100 (1969-2007), 13 of them in the top 10 (1972, 1975, 1978-1988), peaking at #6 in 1982. Of late, it appears that a Nicole fatigue has set in.

Other class of '42 members:

2019
Lawrence Krespan. (7/18/2019)
Patricia McComas Lundahl. (3/31/2019)

2018
William Frederick. (6/26/2018)

2017
Carl Russo. (11/1/2017)
Barbara Jane King Anundson. (9/5/2017)
Ray Devore. (6/4/2017)

2016
Phyllis Heald Albaugh. (12/11/2016)
Corynne Peterson Schumann. (7/22/2016)
Marjorie Gillett Larson. (7/21/2016)

2015
Robert Weidert. (8/25/2015)
Margaret Siefert Lane. (8/12/2015)
Richard Hause. (4/6/2015)

2014
Elizabeth Hottel Streich. (8/16/2014)

2013

Mary Hoskins. (10/12/2013)