Retiring Guy's Digest: 2021-03-07

Saturday, March 13, 2021

Keeping tabs on authors in LINKcat: Margaret Maron

LINKcat

New York Times, 3/2/2021

Ms. Maron was known for two series featuring strong female characters. The first, introduced in “One Coffee With” in 1981, was Sigrid Harald, a New York City police detective, who solved crimes and dealt with the obstacles of being a woman in what was at the time a largely male profession.
Then, in 1992, came Deborah Knott, who in the initial novel, “Bootlegger’s Daughter,” was a legal aid lawyer running for a judgeship in North Carolina. By the second book she had become a judge, and as the series went along — it ultimately stretched to 20 books — Ms. Maron explored environmental stress, racial prejudice, domestic abuse and a host of other aspects of modern life in the state.
“She’s old North Carolina and modern North Carolina,” the mystery writer Katy Munger, a fellow North Carolina resident, told The News & Observer of Raleigh in 2016. “You can chart the changes in North Carolina through her books.”

The 48 member libraries of LINKcat

Related posts:
2021

Mary Catherine Bateson. (1/26)

Kim Chernin. (1/10)

Christina Crosby. (1/31)

Eric Jerome Dickey. (1/9)

Scott Donaldson. (1/11)

Lawrence Ferlinghetti. (2/24)

James R. Flynn. (1/30)

Larry Flynt. (2/12)

Norman Golb. (2/22)

Lawrence Graham. (3/9)

Maria Guarnascheilli, book editor. (2/18)

James Gunn. (2/21)

Tony Hendra. (3/7)

Robert L. Herbert (2/12)

Ved Mehta. (1/12)

Sharon Kay Penman. (2/8/)

Deborah Rhode. (1/28)

James Ridgeway. (2/16)

Naomi Rosenblum (3/6)

Charles Saunders. (2/4)

Bryan Sykes. (1/14)

2020
Patricia Bosworth. (4/6)

Ben Bova. (12/17)
Mary Higgins Clark. (2/4)
Clive Cussler. (2/29)

Betty Dodson (11/11)
David Graeber. (9/6)
Shirley Ann Grau. (8/11)
Pete Hamill. (8/6)

Shere Hite. (9/13)
A, E, Hotchner. (2/18)
Roger Kahn. (2/15)

Randall Kenan. (9/29)

John Le Carre. (12/23/2020)
Johanna Lindsey. (1/15)

Barry Lopez. (12/29)

Alison Lurie. (12/7)
Sylvia Jukes Morris. (1/20)
Charlers Portis. (2/19)

Julia Reed. (9/8)
John Rothchild. (1/22)
Gail Sheehy. (9/3)
George Steiner. (2/6)

Jill Paton Walsh. (11/29)
Charles Webb. (6/30)
Elizabeth Wurtzel. (1/11)

2019
Warren Adler. (4/23)
Kate Braverman. (10/28)
Stephen Dixon. (11/12)
Ernest J. Gaines. (11/8)
Dan Jenkins. (3/10)
Judith Krantz. (6/27)
Paule Marshall. (8/27)
Robert K. Massie. (12/4)
Martin Mayer. (8/3)
Wright Morris. (7/25)
Toni Morrison. (8/12)
Anthony Price. (6/17)
James I. Robertson. (11/20)
Anne Rivers Siddons. (9/19)
John Simon. (12/1)
Sol Stein. (9/30)
Brad Watson. (8/2)
Lonnie Wheeler. (7/15)
Herman Wouk. (5/20)
Nearly forgotten "sociological megahits" of 1970. (6/18)

2018
Neal Thompson. (6/17)
Barbara Kafka. (6/8)
Weeding or historical sanitization at LINKcat libraries? (6/2)

2017
Aline Countess of Romanones. (12/17)
Kit Reed. (10/1)
Carol J. Adams shares feminist classics from her personal library. (9/8)

2016
E. M. Nathanson. (4/10)

2015
Gunter Grass (1927-2015). (4/15)

2014
Thomas Berger (1924-2014). (7/23)
Peter Matthiessen (1927-2014) (4/8)

2013
Barbara Branden. (12/26)

Wisconsin Covid cases mapped, listed and graphed (3/13/2021)

New York Times

Saturday, March 13. Total tests (positive and negative): 3,235,370. One-day increase of 5,012 (462 positive; 9%)

Total positive Covid 19 cases: 569.364

Counties with largest numerical gains = 27 of 72

4 with 20 or more new cases
8 with 10 to 19
15 with 5 to 9

The 27

Dane, Waueksha (55)
St. Croix (39)
Rock (22)
Sheboygan (21)

Racine (17)
Milwaukee, Outagamie, Pierce (16 each)
Washington (13)
Ozaukee (12)
Brown (11)
Sauk (10)

Fond du Lac (9)
Douglas, Kenosha, Marathon, Winnebago (8 each)
Green, Jefferson (7 each)
Walworth, Waupaca (6 each)
Barron, Columbia, Grant, Iowa, Lax Crosse, Shawano (5 each)

WI Department of Health Services

As of the 3/6/2021 revision, three counties -- Buffalo, Florence, and Langlade -- have fallen below the state's positive test rate per 100,000 people. Vilas joins 27 other counties with positive test rate hightest than the state's average.

Link to other WI COVID posts:

Related posts:

Alabama. (2/15/2021)

Arizona. (2/15/2021)

Arkansas. (2/4/2021)

California. (2/7/2021)

Connecticut. (8/21/2020)

Florida. (2/15/2021)

Georgia. (2/15/2021)

Idaho. (2/7/2021)

Illinois. (2/2/2021)

Indiana. (2/6/2021)

Iowa. (2/6/2021)

Kansas. (2/4/2021)

Kentucky. (2/4/2021)

Louisiana. (2/6/2021)

Maryland. (1/27/2021)

Massachusetts. (2/16/2021)

Michigan. (2/16/2021)

Minnesota. (2/4/2021)

Mississippi. (3/4/2021)

Montana. (2/5/2021)

Nebraska. (2/4/2021)

Nevada. (2/17/2021)

New Jersey, (2/16/2021)

New York. (2/16/2021)

North Carolina. (2/7/2021)

North Dakota. (2/7/2021)

Ohio. (2/6/2021)

Pennsylvania. (2/16/2021)

South Carolina. (2/5/2021)

South Dakota. (2/18/2021)

Tennessee. (2/5/2021)

Texas (2/6/2021)

Utah. (2/17/2021)

Virginia. (1/22/2021)

Washington State. (6/12/2020)

West Virginia. (2/3/2021)

Mary Radspinner Probst (1930-2021) Warren High School class of 1948

1948 Dragon yearbook

Source: Peterson Blick Funeral Home

Mary's high-school activities:

Stenographers' Club [4], Carnival [2].

1967 Warren City Directory

Mary and Richard listed as Clarendon resident in county section
Radspinner R R (Geraldine A) Assistant Treasurer Pennsylvania Bank & Trust r61 Kamp Street

1983 Warren City Directory

ditto
Radspinner Robert R & Geraldine A retired h11 Hill Street

The popularity of Mary as a baby name is graphed here. Let's take a look at daughter Dixie.

Source: Social Security Administration

Dixie worked her way into the top 200 for an 8-year visit (1935-1942), peaking at #168 in 1938. She's been on an unsuccessful comeback tour since 2007 after disappearing from view for nearly 3 decades.

Other class of '48 graduates (32):
2021

Mary Masci Valone. (3/4)

Henry Hathaway Bailey. (1/15)

Anne Tingwall Sandstrom. (1/12)

Agnes Hessley Higham. (1/5)

2020
James Suppa. (12/23)

Mary Ann Hoflund Erik (5/24)
Thomas Lundberg. (4/24)
James Zock. (1/25)
Frances White Brown. (1/5)

2019
Helen Yarzabek. (11/7)
Betty Fitzgerald Bearfield. (10/29)
Georgia Ann Valentine Kargle. (7/26)
Shirlie Jean Kauffman. (5/22)
Joanne Swanson Massa. (2/23)

2018
Joanne Chester. (11/13)
Betty Burke Dickinson. (9/1)
Stephen Cosmano. (8/29)
Beulah Fox Boll. (3/16)

2017
Phyllis Miller Maze. (12/27)
Dorothy Anderson Turner. (9/27)
Margaret Mathyer Conroy. (4/26)

2016
Ruth Figliuzzi.  (11/5)
Donna Mack Schuler.  (3/19)

2015
Carol Jean Niver Hampson.  (10/22)
Frank Marlett.  (9/13)
John Giltinan. (7/6)
Lela Nichols Akeley. (6/24)

2014
Ella Atwell Blum. (12/24)
Betty Carlson Johnson. (10/26)
H. Kent Peterson. (10/1)
Kenneth Lundahl. (9/21)

2013
Carl Leave. (12/26)

You'd think Deborah Kerr would explain her DPI decentralization plan on her campaign website

Not a peep

Kerr for Wisconsin Kids

Wisconsin State Journal, 3/12/2021

Kerr detailed her proposal to move the state education department out of Madison on Wednesday. Its current office is a couple of blocks away from the state Capitol.

[snip]

Kerr said she would perform an “equity audit” of DPI staff and look to hire new staff who live in communities outside of Madison, possibly resulting in terminations of some current employees. Kerr, who lives in Caledonia, would not move to Madison and would work at offices around the state.

Underly called Kerr’s proposal a “Hail Mary to get more attention for a flailing campaign.”

“This is a very expensive endeavor,” said Underly, who previously worked as an assistant manager at DPI. “What people want are more resources so they can hire school counselors and nurses and teachers; they don’t want to waste resources on DPI.

Related post:
State Superintendent candidate Deborah Kerr update: Which begs the question, "When did she have lip reduction surgery?" (2/6/2021)

Friday, March 12, 2021

Apparently, New Yorkers weren't holding their collective breath to see "Tenet" in a movie theater

New York Times full-page ad

Box Office Mojo report for the weekend March 5-7, 2021. "Little Fish, #31, brought in a total of $215. "Tenet' is not on the list.

Box Office Pro, 3/2/2021

Tenet was originally released to U.S. theaters over Labor Day weekend, though that release did not include several key markets which at the time legally prohibited cinemas from being open. Cinemas in one of those markets—New York City—is allowed to open this Friday, March 5, albeit at 25 percent capacity with a maximum of 50 moviegoers per auditorium.

Maybe folks are waiting for the movie to play on the IMAX screen at AMC Lincoln Square, opening today.

AstraZeneca: on the one hand, on the other hand

Print edition

Web edition

New York Times, 3/11/2021

Perhaps the reporters should have worked together on these two thread of the same story.

Wisconsin Covid cases mapped, listed and graphed (3/12/2021)

New York Times

Friday, March 12. Total tests (positive and negative): 3,230,358. One-day increase of 3,355 (550 positive; 16%)

Total positive Covid 19 cases: 568,902

Counties with largest numerical gains = 32 of 72

6 with 20 or more new cases
7 with 10 to 19
19 with 5 to 9

The 31

Milwaukee (74)
Dane (71)
Outagamie (44)
Waukesha (42)
Racine, Winnebago (23 each)

Brown (17)
Kenosha, Sheboygan (16 each)
Waupaca (15)
Marathon (14)
Dodge, Iowa (10 each)

Chippewa, Green, Ozaukee, Rock (9 each)
Manitowoc, Taylor (8 each)
Washington (7)
Grant, Jefferson, La Crosse, Monroe (6 each)
Barron, Burnett, Calumet, Columbia, Lafayette, Lincoln, Oneida, Walworth (5 each)

WI Department of Health Services

Link to other WI COVID posts:

Related posts:

Alabama. (2/15/2021)

Arizona. (2/15/2021)

Arkansas. (2/4/2021)

California. (2/7/2021)

Connecticut. (8/21/2020)

Florida. (2/15/2021)

Georgia. (2/15/2021)

Idaho. (2/7/2021)

Illinois. (2/2/2021)

Indiana. (2/6/2021)

Iowa. (2/6/2021)

Kansas. (2/4/2021)

Kentucky. (2/4/2021)

Louisiana. (2/6/2021)

Maryland. (1/27/2021)

Massachusetts. (2/16/2021)

Michigan. (2/16/2021)

Minnesota. (2/4/2021)

Mississippi. (3/4/2021)

Montana. (2/5/2021)

Nebraska. (2/4/2021)

Nevada. (2/17/2021)

New Jersey, (2/16/2021)

New York. (2/16/2021)

North Carolina. (2/7/2021)

North Dakota. (2/7/2021)

Ohio. (2/6/2021)

Pennsylvania. (2/16/2021)

South Carolina. (2/5/2021)

South Dakota. (2/18/2021)

Tennessee. (2/5/2021)

Texas (2/6/2021)

Utah. (2/17/2021)

Virginia. (1/22/2021)

Washington State. (6/12/2020)

West Virginia. (2/3/2021)

Meet Donald Trump, the Shake 'n Bake master of the vaccine rollout

New York Times, 3/10/2021

Apparently, New York Times reporter Sharon LaFraniere couldn't find anyone outside of Trump's inner circle that agrees. And she really scrapes the bottom of the barrel to find Paul Mango.

“They criticize what we did, but they are using our playbook every step of the way,” said Paul Mango [cretin], the Trump administration’s deputy chief of staff for health policy and a senior official in the crash vaccine development effort then known as Operation Warp Speed. He said Mr. Trump’s team oversaw the construction or expansion of nearly two dozen plants involved in vaccine production and invoked the Defense Production Act 18 times to ensure those factories had sufficient supplies. (Which is a lie.)

And then there's this.

Pittsburgh City Paper, 2/2/2021

The only thing Trump desevers credit for is spewing lies and misinformation day after day after day.

Congressman Lloyd Doggett, 1/20/2021

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Wikipedia snapshot: Living in a 2010 world

Sources: Wikipedia (current entry for West Virgina), Population Rference Bureau

Demographic information almost a decade old? How many D-'s can be laid at Wikipedia's feet?

GET ME REWRITE: Arizona state legislator chants the GOP voter suppression mantra, "Everybody shouldn't vote!"

John Kavanaugh
GOP member of Arizona State Senate

AlterNet, 3/11/2021

Kavanaugh added, "Not everybody wants to vote, and if somebody is uninterested in voting, that probably means that they're totally uninformed on the issues. Quantity is important, but we have to look at the quality of votes, as well."

And, of course, Republican votes are of a much higher quality.