It’s dangerous being a journalist overseas, notes Grumpy Editor.
- Luna
- Bella
- Daisy
- Lucy
- Willow
- Penny
- Sadie
- Maggie
- Rosie
- Ruby
- Max
- Milo
- Cooper
- Charlie
- Teddy
- Tucker
- Buddy
- Bear
- Rocky
- Leo
It’s dangerous being a journalist overseas, notes Grumpy Editor.
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Bipartisan lawmakers say too much of the state's stormwater, stored to protect imperiled fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, is flowing to the Pacific rather than being pumped to reservoirs and aqueducts.
Legislators, many from drought-starved agriculture regions of the Central Valley, in strongly-worded letters have implored state and federal officials to relax environmental pumping restrictions that are limiting the amount of water captured from the delta.
“When Mother Nature blesses us with rain, we need to save the water, instead of dumping it into the ocean,” Assemblymember Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) wrote in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
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NUMBER OF FIREARMS IN TRAVEL BAGS GROWS. Lots of firearms --- most of them loaded --- show up in travel bags at airports. The Transportation Security Administration last year discovers a record of more than 6,500 firearms in carry-on bags during security checks at 262 airports. That's the highest number since the federal agency was founded 22 years ago.
GAS-ELECTRIC CORVETTE SPEEDY. General Motors' first Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, it's first gas-electric hybrid Corvette, also will be the fastest version of the sports car. It can go to 60 miles an hour in 2.5 seconds. Price tags start at about $104,000.
RECORD SIZE TOAD. Australia’s Conway National Park captures a cane toad that weighs nearly six pounds, making it possibly the largest on record. Because of its size, it is labeled Toadzilla.
OLDEST LIVING DOG. Marking a Guinness World Record, the world's oldest living dog is Spike, a 23-year-old chihuahua mix in Camden, Ohio, that enjoys crunched up Doritos, walks and Saturday baths.
WARMING UP. A report in Journal Nature notes temperatures on the Greenland ice sheet are the warmest in at least 1,000 years. Scientists find between 2001 and 2011, average temperature was 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than it was during the 20th century.
HIGH SCHOOL BRIGHT SPOT IN TOWN. Lights in a large regional high school in Wilbraham, Mass. have been on around the clock for a year and a half. Software that runs the 7,000 lights in the building failed in August, 2021, running up the bill for illumination.
BEAVERS RETURN AFTER 400 YEARS. Two beavers are released in the southern English county of Hampshire. It’s labeled a “truly historic event because it marks the first time in 400 years beavers are in the area. They were extinct for centuries in many parts of the continent after being hunted for their fur and meat.
ALL ABOARD. Husband and wife buy a bus for their dog walking business in Alaska. Activity has grown so now the bus has a load of canine passengers that head for a daily adventure.
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Grumpy Editor is taking a holiday break, will return Jan. 9.
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The “once in a generation” winter storm smacking a chunk of the U.S. will result in higher heating bills in coming days, notes Grumpy Editor.
Average home heating cost is projected to jump a hefty 17 percent from last winter, according to a report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.
Those with homes relying on natural gas heating will spend an average of 25 percent more this winter, projects the U.S. Energy Information Administration while those using heating oil are projected to spend 45 percent more. Electricity users face an 11 percent hike and propane the least, at one percent.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...
U.S. ADDS 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE IN 2022. The U.S. population expanded by 1.2 million people this year, with growth largely driven by international migration. The nation now has 333.2 million residents, according to estimates.
BIRD FLU OUTBREAK BOOSTS EGG PRICES. An avian-influenza outbreak is driving egg prices to new records. The disease, hitting all states, has killed millions of egg-laying chickens and turkeys.
“MADE IN CHINA” LABEL FROWNED ON. World Trade Organization arbitrators conclude the U.S. was out of line in requiring Hong Kong-made products to be labeled “Made in China.”
HOME SALES SLIDE FOR 10TH STRAIGHT MONTH. Existing home sales in November across the country slid for a 10th straight month. Potential buyers are pushed out of the market by home prices and high mortgage rates.
BARNES & NOBLE TO ADD 30 STORES. With robust customer demand, Barnes & Noble plans to add 30 stores next year. All booksellers are getting a sales boost from people turning to books while confined to homes.
D.C. METROBUS RIDES TO BE FREE. In an effort to increase ridership and reduce road congestion, the District of Columbia plans to make its Metrobus service free for all passengers. Not included are subway and rail services.
POSTAL SERVICE AIMS TO BUY ONLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES. The U.S. Postal Service plans to buy only electric delivery vehicles starting in 2026. USPS plans to spend $9.6 billion over the next five years updating its fleet.
GRUMPY EDITOR WISHES A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
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Endangered items cited by activists always grab attention of media, observes Grumpy Editor.
ROBBERS IMPERSONATE FBI AGENTS. Washington D.C. police are actively investigating a case where four people in tactical gear impersonated FBI agents during an armed robbery at a home.
MOVIE THEATER ATTENDANCE DROPS. Movie theaters, hit with COVID around the country, see b0x office action drop 34 percent from this time in 2019. Analysts are hopeful things will improve in 2023 and beyond.
MILITARY HOUSING ALLOWANCE RAISED. The Pentagon plans to raise military housing allowances in the U.S. by 12 percent on average next year. It’s the largest year-over-year jump in housing allowances in many years. The payments to about one million service members will total an estimated $26.8 billion.
SOME DARK CHOCOLATE CONTAINS HEAVY METALS. Consumer Reports says some kinds of dark chocolate contain potentially dangerous amounts of heavy metals. Measuring the amount of heavy metals in 28 popular brands of dark chocolate bars, cadmium and lead is found in all.
PARIS TOP DESTINATION CITY. A report by British market research company Euromonitor places Paris as the world’s top city destination this year. Here are Euromonitor’s top 10 ---
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The International Federation of Journalists says 67 journalists and media staff have been killed around the world so far this year, up from 47 last year, notes Grumpy Editor.
LOOKING FOR FUN? Here's how U.S. cities rank.
Top 20 Most Fun Cities in America 1. Las Vegas, NV 11. Cincinnati, OH 2. Orlando, FL 12. Tampa, FL 3. Miami, FL 13. Fort Lauderdale, FL 4. Atlanta, GA 14. Portland, OR 5. New Orleans, LA 15. Denver, CO 6. San Francisco, CA 16. San Diego, CA 7. Austin, TX 17. Washington, DC 8. Honolulu, HI 18. Houston, TX 9. New York, NY 19. St. Louis, MO 10. Chicago, IL 20. Los Angeles, CA
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NEW FLYING WING AIRCRAFT DEBUTS. A B-21 Raider, first new long-range bomber in more than 30 years, debuts in Palmdale, Calif. At a $750 million price tag, the B-21 boasts a futuristic flying-wing design and can fly deep behind enemy lines evading detection --- and could eventually fly without a pilot.
DOG SAVES OWNER IN HOUSE FIRE. Kansas man, asleep in his bed, credits his dog with saving his life in a house fire. With a portion of his house engulfed in flames, his whimpering six-year-old pit bull nudged his head. Both escaped the flames.
CANINES FAVOR ELECTRIC CARS. In other canine news --- after observing 20 dogs on short journeys in electric and diesel vehicles, researchers find they were more restless in diesel. They also note dog heart rates are reduced up to 30 percent in electric cars.
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The pandemic has complicated a shortage of dogs needed in bomb detection work, notes Grumpy Editor.
The U.S. draws about 90 percent of its detection canines from overseas, particularly from European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. Dogs receive advanced training in a number of subspecialties, including bomb and drug detection, and search and rescue.
“The canine nose is the best technology we have for locating explosives, so we need to have a very consistent and high-quality source of dogs,” says Sheila Goffe, vice president of government relations at the American Kennel Club.
In 2016 testimony, Cindy Otto, executive director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center at the University of Pennsylvania, warned the Senate Homeland Security Committee about these risks. “By outsourcing our national security requirements, we give up control of the type of dogs, the health of the dogs, and the early training of the dogs,” she said. “We also are at risk for supply interruption due to politics, disaster or disease.”
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
OVERBOARD SHIP PASSENGER RESCUED. A 28-year-old man spends hours in Gulf of Mexico waters after falling overboard from Mexico-bound Carnival Valor about 10p.m. Wednesday. Coast Guard rescue crews pulled the man to safety six hours after receiving word of the overboard passenger. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Graves says the man did not have a flotation device and survival at sea without one is unlikely. "It makes it more miraculous that we were able to find him conscious and treading water," he points out.
WORLD'S OLDEST LIVING CAT. Flossie, at nearly 27 years old, is named the world's oldest living cat by Guinness World Records. The female feline lives in London and is in good health but has poor eyesight and is deaf.
TOKYO TOPS LARGEST CITIES LIST. Largest city in the world in population is Tokyo: 37,435,181 at last count, estimates the United Nations. In second place is New Delhi, India, followed by Shanghai, San Paulo, Mexico City, Cairo and Dhaka, Bangladesh.
MARILYN MONROE ITEMS TO BE AUCTIONED. More than 175 of actress Marilyn Monroe's personal belongings will be auctioned Dec. 17 and 18 in Hollywood. Among the items is a note from her father, Stanley Gifford.
BRITISH FISHERMAN LANDS MASSIVE CARP. U.K. fisherman Andy Hacket, after a 25-minute battle, pulls in a massive carp that weighs 67.4 pounds from a lake in the Champagne region of France. The massive carp looks like an irregular-size goldfish.
AIRPORT AGENT SPOTS LIVE CAT IN BAG. A JFK New York TSA agent spots a live cat trapped inside checked luggage and rescues the orange tabby from the bag headed for a flight to Atlanta. A TSA spokesperson says the cat did not belong to the person with the suitcase.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES DOMINATE "BEST" LIST. U.S. universities dominate the just-published “2022 Ranking of the Best Universities in the World” with 234 institutions listed. It notes Harvard University hosts the highest number of leading scientists in the world --- with 2113 scholars.
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The United Nations reveals global population hits eight billion and India is expected to surpass China as the most populous country in the next year, notes Grumpy Editor.
Global population has more than tripled since 1950 as mortality dropped and life expectancy increased, due in large part to better sanitation, access to clean drinking water and the development of vaccines and antibiotics, along with improved nutrition, adds the U.N.
It points out between 1990 and 2019, human life expectancy at birth increased by almost nine years to age 72 but people in the poorest nations died about seven years earlier than the global average due to high levels of child and maternal mortality, war and the HIV epidemic.
Although humanity is larger than it has ever been, the world population is growing at its slowest rate since 1950 as families have fewer children while the population is expected to peak at 10.4 billion in the 2080s and remain at that level into the 2100s, according to U.N. projections.
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NORTH KOREA INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE ABLE TO STRIKE U.S. MAINLAND. North Korea fires one of the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles it has ever launched with the potential trajectory to strike the U.S. mainland. The Communist nation has fired at least 88 ballistic and other missiles this year.
GANNETT CONTINUES TO SLASH COSTS. Gannett’s news division, in the third move to slash costs in the last six months, on Dec. 1 and 2 is set to inform those affected by another round of layoffs.
U.S. PARTS FOUND IN DOWNED DRONES. Intelligence collected from downed Iranian drones in Ukraine shows most of the parts are manufactured in the U.S., Europe and other allied nations, reveals The Wall Street Journal.
OWL STUCK IN PICKUP GRILLE IS RESCUED. Wildlife rescuers in Colorado’s Colorado Springs area remove a great horned owl embedded in the front grille of a pickup truck. The owl is recovering.
SALMON ROUTE GETS A BOOST. A U.S. agency seeking to restore habitat for endangered fish gave final approval to decommission four dams straddling the California-Oregon border. The removal is expected to improve the health of the Klamath River, the route Chinook salmon and endangered coho salmon take from the Pacific Ocean to their upstream spawning grounds.
AIRPOWER MISSES MARK. All branches of the military are falling far short when it comes to keeping an array of war planes and attack helicopter fleets "mission capable," according to a government watchdog report.
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About 37 million American drivers at least once a year get behind wheels when they are so tired they can barely keep their eyes open, reads Grumpy Editor.
That’s six in 10 people, finds a survey by the National Sleep Foundation.
"Drowsy driving is impaired driving," says Joseph Dzierzewski, the foundation's vice president of research and scientific affairs. "We see that while most Americans believe drowsy driving is risky, they still drive when not fully alert. The good news is -- drowsy driving is preventable."
In a survey conducted this fall, nearly 20 percent of respondents were overly confident in their ability to drive after sleeping only two hours or less the previous night.
Respondents claiming they get the recommended amount of sleep --- about seven to nine hours per night for adults and eight to 10 for teens --- were less likely to drive drowsy, says the foundation.
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DROUGHT HITS EAST AFRICA WILDLIFE. During East Africa's worst drought in decades, the Kenya Wildlife Service and other groups count deaths of 205 elephants, 512 wildebeests, 381 common zebras, 51 buffalos, 49 Grevy's zebras and 12 giraffes in the past nine months.
GANNETT JOURNALISTS GO ON STRIKE. More than 200 Gannett journalists around the country walked off their jobs on Friday. It was part of a one-day strike demanding better pay and benefits.
BANK ROBBERS ACTIVE IN NEW YORK. New York City bank robberies jump 42 percent this year. There have been 135 bank heists through Oct. 23 compared to 95 during the same period in 2021. One mid-town bank has seen four robberies this year with the latest this month.
LENA HORNE THEATER OPENS. Brooklyn-born singer and actress Lena Horne, who died in 2010, becomes the first Black woman in U.S. history to have a Broadway theater named in her honor. The original Mansfield theatre, built in 1926, becomes the Lena Horne Theatre where the musical “Six” is now playing.
SHEPARD SMITH TO DEPART CNBC. CNBC cancels “The News With Shepard Smith” which averaged about 222,000 viewers. His final newscast airs later this month. A newscast focusing on business will replace Smith’s show sometime next year.
SCAM ARTISTS BUSY WITH SENIORS. Scam artists last year, focusing on consumers 60 years and older, result in 467,340 fraud reports filed on investment, business and government impersonation. These result in losses of more than $1 billion, notes a report to Congress from the Federal Trade Commission.
COUPLE NOTED FOR RESCUING 13,000 DOGS. Ron Danta and Danny Robertshaw, who run the non-profit Danny and Ron's Rescue out of their Camden, South Carolina home, have rescued 13,000 dogs and now care for dozens of dogs looking for a second chance.
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Veterinarians warn against dressing pets in Halloween costumes which can cause them harm and spark anxiety on a day they already find stressful, notes Grumpy Editor.
Costumes designed for dogs, cats, rabbits and other furry friends have been rising in popularity, with people often posting images online of their pets dressed as pumpkins, ghouls and ghosts at this time of year.
In Great Britain where the day also is noted, the British Veterinary Association warns costumes could put pets at risk, as the extra layers and accessories could limit their movement.
PANDEMIC AFFECTS FOURTH AND EIGHTH-GRADERS. Fourth- and eighth-graders are behind in reading and are in the largest ever decline in math — an effect of the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings are based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading and math exams, often called the “Nation’s Report Card” and conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics, a branch of the Education Department.
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More than half of Americans --- 55 percent --- surveyed by Gallup and Bentley University say businesses have an "extremely" or "somewhat" positive impact on people's lives, notes Grumpy Editor.
Americans draw a sharp distinction between large and small businesses, the survey finds. They are twice as likely to say small businesses positively impact people's lives (82 percent) as they are to say the same about large businesses (41 percent).
The survey also finds Americans are very optimistic about businesses' potential to improve society. About nine in 10 (89 percent) say businesses and companies have "a great deal of" or "some" power to make a positive impact on people's lives, similar to the percentages who say the same about state and federal government (90 percent and 88 percent, respectively).
Charitable and advocacy groups are seen as having less potential, with 71 percent of people saying they have a great deal of or some power to make a positive impact.
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LENSES IN UPPER EYELID. A woman who felt like there was “something in her eye” actually had 23 daily disposable contact lenses stuck under her upper eyelid. Dr. Katerina Kurteeva of California Eye Associates, discovered the clump of contacts “in a pancake stack.”
OLDEST TREE IN CALIFORNIA. A bristlecone pine is the world’s oldest tree species, says Guinness World Records. Growing in California, it is determined to be 4,854 years old, verified by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona.
ALLIGATOR WANDERS IN — IDAHO. An alligator, spotted wandering in New Plymouth, Idaho by a man walking his dog, surprises Idaho Fish and Game personnel because the reptile does not inhabit that state. Besides, alligators are not legal to be kept in Idaho without a permit from the state.
TWO BROTHERS MAKE BASEBALL HISTORY. Two brothers make major league baseball history by playing against each other in NLCS game 2. "He pitched his butt off," San Diego Padres catcher Austin Nola says of his older brother Aaron, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.
RUSSIAN BOMBERS FLY NEAR ALASKA. A pair of Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers off the coast of Alaska, operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, triggers sending two U.S. F-16 jet fighters to intercept them.
CALIFORNIA TOMATOES FACE SQUEEZE. Rising interest rates, inflation and drought are putting the squeeze on tomatoes grown in California. Normally, the period from July to October keeps tomato farmers busy as machines scoop up the fruit and free them from vines.
AMAZON TAKES TO THE AIR. Hawaiian Airlines will operate 10 Airbus A330-300 cargo airplanes for Amazon.com starting next fall. The transaction could lead to Amazon acquiring up to 15 percent of Hawaiian stock over the next nine years.
To contact Grumpy Editor: GrumpyEditor@cox.net
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A constant flow of negative news, such as the long-running pandemic plus shootings, inflation and natural disasters, is bad for you, according to a new study, notes Grumpy Editor.
Researchers in Spain looked at how people are best able to manage feelings of anxiety and depression at the height of the pandemic, finding that one of the most effective methods is to take breaks from the barrage of bad news, reports NBC’s Erika Edwards.
The best predictor for having lower anxiety and depressive symptoms is to "avoid watching too much news," Edwards notes from lead study author Dr. Joaquim Radua, a psychiatrist in Barcelona.
Others say there's only so much negative news coverage a person can take before that reporting affects mental health.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
BOOSTER SUGGESTED BY HALLOWEEN. For maximum protection for the upcoming holidays, the White House says Americans should get updated COVID-19 booster shots by Halloween. It also warns of a “challenging” virus season ahead.
PINK DIAMOND BRINGS ALMOST $50 MILLION. A rare pink 11.15-carat diamond sells for $49.9 million U.S. in Hong Kong via Sotheby’s. It sets an auction world record for the highest price per carat for a diamond.
DELTA INVESTS IN ELECTRIC CRAFT. Delta Air Lines invests $60 million in a startup that hopes to build electric-powered helicopter-like air taxis. The aircraft take off and land vertically, like helicopters.
CHIHUAHUA HOLDS OLDEST LIVING DOG TITLE. A 21-year-old Florida chihuahua named Toby Keith, is "back on his throne" as the world's oldest living dog according to Guinness World Records.
BORDER PATROL SLIM IN ARIZONA. Border Patrol agents say they’ve been largely pulled off the border in Arizona, allowing massive numbers of illegal immigrants to walk unstopped into the U.S. The National Border Patrol Council mentions only one in five agents in the Tucson region is assigned to patrol duties.
GOLD COIN COLLECTION SELLS FOR $845,000. A collection of 17th-18th century gold coins, found in England when a couple renovated their kitchen, sells at auction for $845,000. The auctioneer describes the trove as "120 years of English history hidden in a pot the same size as a soda can.”
To contact Grumpy Editor: www.GrumpyEditor.com
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Despite almost daily front page stories on shootings, the number of murders rose at a slower rate last year, notes Grumpy Editor.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates murders rose four percent last year after jumping nearly 30 percent in 2020.
Law enforcement people have been extra busy working on shootings in cities and rural areas across the country.
As The Wall Street Journal points out: “Soaring murder rates across the country since the onset of the pandemic have made crime a major issue in local and national elections.”
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DOGUE FEATURES DOGGIE CHOW. A San Francisco restaurant, appropriately called Dogue, offers a range of fancy treats and special menus of French cuisine, tailored specifically for canine diners. The restaurant’s in-house “pawtisserie” serves healthy and colorful snacks made from organic, locally-sourced “human-grade ingredients.” That includes a cake made with ingredients like pastured chicken, liver, wild sardines and organic vegetables. The restaurant offers a $75 tasting menu every Sunday.
BOA CONSTRICTOR STRANDED ON ROOF. Firefighters and police in High Point, North Carolina, conduct an unusual rescue when a boa constrictor is spotted stranded on the roof of a home. They help an animal control officer get to the roof and bring the red-tailed boa constrictor down to solid ground.
UTAH CITY RESIDENTS SNIFF SOMETHING. Officials in North Salt Lake City, Utah, are investigating the cause of a foul odor reported by residents. It doesn't appear to be coming from the sewer. Many locals compare the smell to rotting meat.
TEXAS DOG PERCHES ON ROOF. An Austin, Texas, dog enjoys greeting neighbors and passers-by from the roof of his home. Huckleberry the dog started climbing onto the roof of his home years ago and now is a local celebrity with his unusual routine.
$2 MILLION OFFERED FOR BASEBALL. A baseball fan who caught Aaron Judge’s American League record 62nd home run ball is offered $2 million for it by a sports memorabilia auction house owner. The record price for a home run ball is $3 million, paid for Mark McGwire’s record 70th in 1998.
POLAND SEEKS $1.3 TRILLION FROM WORLD WAR II. Poland’s foreign minister requests about $1.3 trillion in reparations for damage incurred by occupying Nazi Germans during World War II. A Polish official says action should be taken without delay to address the effects of Germany's 1939-45 occupation in a “lasting and complex, legally binding as well as material way.”
ELECTRIC PASSENGER AIRCRAFT TRAVELS EIGHT MINUTES. Dubbed “Alice,” an electric passenger airplane built by Eviation Aircraft took off from Washington state’s Grant County International Airport and traveled at 3,500 feet for eight minutes. Eviation said that Alice can last up to one to two hours per charge and can reach a top cruise speed of 287 m.p.h.
To contact Grumpy Editor: www.GrumpyEditor.com
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MEN ALLOWED TO WEAR SKIRTS. Virgin Atlantic airlines, which already allows male employees to use females' showering facilities, updates its “Gender Identity Policy” to allow men to wear skirts while on the job. Previously, male employees on planes and in airports were required to wear burgundy trousers and blazers, while female staff wore red jackets and skirts.
BOX OFFICE REVENUE EBBS. After a summer boom, domestic box office revenue last month plummets to a projected $328.7 million — worst showing for the month in a quarter of century, according to Comscore. Last time it was that low — excluding 2020, during the heart of the COVID-19 crisis — was in September, 1996, with $326.7 million.
U.S. AD SPENDING RISES. A new forecast indicates the U.S. advertising industry is on track to surpass $300 billion this year in total ad spending for the first time. It shows nationwide ad revenues are poised to grow 9.8 percent year-over-year in 2022.
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Forecasts released by the Fed show policymakers expect U.S. growth to slow only o.2 percent this year, notes Grumpy Editor.
However, they see growth picking up 1.2 percent in 2023, but predict the unemployment rate will rise to 4.4 percent.
"Higher interest rates, slower growth and a softening labor market are all painful for the public that we serve but they're not as painful as failing to restore price stability and then having to come back and do it down the road again,” says Fed chairman Jerome H. Powell.
Many analysts are forecasting a recession next year but remain hopeful it will be relatively mild.
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HOLLYWOOD SIGN GETTING PAINTED. The Hollywood sign (originally Hollywoodland), on a hill north of Hollywood, is getting a fresh coat of paint on its 45-foot-high letters just ahead of its 100th anniversary. The sign is now an American cultural landmark and culturalicon.
BANK DEPOSITS DECLINE. Second quarter deposits in U.S. banks declined by a record $370 billion in the second quarter. It’s the first decline since 2018.
HOMEBUYERS FACE PAYMENT SHOCK. Average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage edges up to 6.7 percent. That is an increase of 3.3 percent from the start of the year. While home prices have eased over the last couple of months, they are still up 13.1 percent from a year ago
TARGET PLANS MAJOR HIRING. Target plans to hire up to 100,000 seasonal workers for its U.S. stores and warehouses. This with inflation pushing consumers to limit spending.
AUTUMN PUTS SOME IN BETTER MOOD. Latest Rasmussen Reports survey finds 49 percent of adults say arrival of fall puts them in a better mood, 10 percent say they are in a worse mood, while 37 percent say change of seasons has no impact.
EX-FBI DIRECTOR WRITING CRIME FICTION. Former FBI Director James Comey is into writing crime fiction. His first novel, "Central Park West," features an assistant U.S. Attorney looking into ties between the Mafia and the murder of a local politician. The book is scheduled for release next spring.
DOG STEALER NABBED. An Irvine, California man is facing grand theft charges after surveillance footage showed him taking a dog out of a parked car. A small dog, named Mookie, was stolen in a parking lot. Footage shows a man walking up to the car’s rear passenger side, seemingly talk to the dog and then take the dog through an open window within 40 seconds.
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An observer warns the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet is smaller than normal, due to maintenance and production delays, notes Grumpy Editor.
Seth Cropsey, former naval officer and deputy undersecretary of the Navy, points out in a Wall Street Journal piece that the fleet “is about three-fifths the size it should be” and it “comes amid stepped-up threats to Taiwan by China.”
He says U.S. submarines “are the most effective tool to counter an assault on Taiwan.”
The U.S., he adds, “has a world leading attack submarine force of 49 nuclear-powered boats, along with four guided-missile submarines each packed with 154 cruise missiles."
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370 WORDS ADDED TO DICTIONARY. Merriam-Webster adds 370 words and phrases to its dictionary this month. Two examples plucked from the myriad slang and informal coinages: yeet --- to throw something with force and without regard for the thing being thrown; the other --- janky, meaning of very poor quality.
TOW TRUCK CALLED TO LIFT ALLIGATOR. A tow truck had to be called to lift a massive alligator out of a neighborhood outside Houston, Texas. The alligator, trapped four hours later with assistance from licensed trappers with Texas Parks and Wildlife, is relocated to a sanctuary in El Campo.
MASKED MEN STEAL DOGS. In Northrige, Calif., a person left puppies with a friend when two masked men entered the residence and stole the dogs. Police say bulldogs, especially French bulldogs, have soared in popularity in recent years. The high demand for the dogs has made them more prone to theft --- and sale at a steep price on the black market.
PET KANGAROO KILLS OWNER. An Australian man dies after being attacked by his pet kangaroo. Police say they were forced to shoot the marsupial dead so paramedics could reach the 77-year-old man who later died at the scene. This is the first fatal attack by a kangaroo in Australia since 1936.
COAST GUARD BOOSTS ARCTIC OPERATIONS. The U.S. Coast Guard will step up operations in the increasingly contested Arctic region, crack down on illegal fishing and forced labor, and improve oil spill response under legislation approved by a Senate committee wary of competition from Russia and China.
MICHAEL JORDAN’S JERSEY SELLS FOR RECORD. Michael Jordan’s basketball jersey, worn during the 1998 NBA finals, sells for a record $10.1 million. It ranks as the most expensive piece of game-worn sports memorabilia ever sold.
“PHANTOM” TO CLOSE AFTER RECORD RUN. Broadway’s longest-running show --- The Phantom of the Opera --- is slated to close next Feb. 18. The musical, on Broadway since 1988, will conclude with 13,925 performances.
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS FORM UNION. More than 5,500 minor league baseball players form a union in an effort to boost annual salaries as low as $10,400. That compares with major league players getting millions a season.
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Will there be another hotel fee soon to greet travelers, asks Grumpy Editor.
It could be in the works.
The hotel industry is poised to start charging additional fees, according to an industry observer who points out, "We are in the middle of two major events: COVID and the inflationary environment.”
"Hoteliers had to cut average daily rates by up to 60 percent during the pandemic,” he adds.
In trying to make up for lost revenue, the focus will be on hotel guests…and their wallets.
One area that may see a fee increase: Daily housekeeping.
Hotels cut back on daily housekeeping during the pandemic and that’s an area being eyed for new charges.
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REGAL CINEMAS OWNER FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY. Movie chain Cineworld Group LLOC, owner of Regal Cinemas, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. as it deals with several billions of dollars in debt and lower attendance in theaters.
BURGER KING PLANS MAJOR INVESTMENT. Over the next two years Burger King plans to invest $400 million in its 7,058 U.S. restaurants. That includes $250 million for updates nd $120 million in advertising.
UPS PLANS TO ADD 100,000+ WORKERS. United Parcel Service plans to hire more than 100,000 workers to help handle the holiday season rush. UPS’s job openings are for package handlers, drivers and driver helpers.
WOMAN FIGHTS OFF TIGER. In India a woman is hospitalized with serious injuries after fighting off a tiger that was trying to grab her 15-month-old son. The attack occurs on the outskirts of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in the northeast part of the country.
F-35 FIGHTER JETS DELIVERIES PAUSE. The Pentagon temporarily halts delivery of F-35 fighter jets to the military branches and international customers after Lockheed Martin discovers a metal component used in the jet’s engine is produced in China.
STOLEN ART RETURNS TO ITALY. New York’s district attorney returns $19 million worth of stolen art to Italy. The 58 pieces include a marble head of the goddess Athena dated 200 BC, worth an estimated $3 million. The stolen items were sold to museums and private dealers by convicted looters.
RUSSIA SEEKS NORTH KOREA ROCKETS, ARTILLERY SHELLS. Affected by its six-month-old invasion of Ukraine, Russia approaches North Korea for rockets and artillery shells for its military forces, according to U.S. intelligence officials.
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Media continue the fascination with Britain’s Princess Diana on the 25th anniversary of her death in a Paris car accident, notes Grumpy Editor.
Diana, 37, died on Aug. 31, 1997, stunning people who felt they knew the princess after following her struggles and successes in media coverage over 17 years.
Anniversary stories focused on Diana's fans placing flowers, photos and messages outside the gates at Kensington Palace.
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It has been a residence of the British royal family since the 17th century.
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KIDS' MATH, READING SCORES DROP. In a setback for the nation’s children, a federal study shows math and reading scores for nine-year-olds in the U.S. fell dramatically during the first two years of the pandemic.
200-YEAR-OLD SAGUARO CACTUS TOPPLES. Heavy rains in Tucson, Arizona, topples a 200-year-old saguaro cactus. It had more than 30 arms and was more than 40 feet high.
DOLLY PARTON DEBUTS DOG APPAREL. Singer Dolly Parton starts an apparel brand aimed for dogs. Named Doggy Parton, it offers gingham check bandanas, feather-brimmed cowboy hats, Dolly Parton shirts and more
POLAND SEEKS WWII REPARATIONS. Poland is seeking the equivalent of $1.3 trillion in reparations from Germany for the Nazis' World War II invasion and occupation. It stems from a long-awaited report on the cost to the country of years of Nazi German occupation as it marks 83 years since the start of World War II.
YOUNGER AMERICANS DO SEEK DAILY NEWS. A study shows 79 percent of Americans, ages 16 to 40, say they get news daily. The report is contrary to the thinking that young people aren’t interested in daily news happenings.
GOATS MUNCH ON PAPER WORK IN PATROL CAR. A pair of curious goats broke into a Madison County, Alabama, sheriff's deputy's patrol car and ate his paperwork. A video shows the hungry animals busy inside (in the passenger seat) and on top of the vehicle munching paper work.
SHORTAGE IN TOMATO PRODUCTS LOOMS. California farmers warn ketchup, salsa, pasta sauce and other tomato products could soon be in short supply. The Golden State grows nearly all of America's processing tomatoes, but this year is shaping up to be another poor harvest season.
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Leaders who left office in at least 72 countries since year 2000 have been jailed or prosecuted, notes an Axios item spotted by Grumpy Editor.
17-YEAR-OLD FLIES SOLO AROUND WORLD. Mack Rutherford, a 17-year-old Belgian-British dual national, becomes the youngest person to fly solo around the world in a small aircraft. He landed in Bulgaria, where he started his around the world flight. Rutherford says he hopes his achievement will inspire young people to pursue their dreams.
WASHINGTON STATE AIMS TO NIX GAS-POWERED VEHICLES. Washington state plans to follow California in prohibiting the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035. California, largest auto market in the U.S., plans to phase out sale of gas cars over the next 13 years.
AMBASSADOR FOR THE ARCTIC PLANNED. Triggered by increased Russian military activity in the region, the U.S. plans to name an Ambassador for the Arctic. The Ambassador-at-Large will be put in place to advance U.S. policy in the northern polar region.
U.N. CEMETERY IN SOUTH KOREA. The Busan, South Korea veterans cemetery remains the only U.N. cemetery in the world. Established in 1955 after the South Korean government offered the land for the U.N.'s permanent use to honor troops and medical personnel sent from 22 countries under the U.N. flag during the Korean War. More than 2,300 people from 11 nations are interred there.
SMUGGLER PUTS REPTILES IN PANTS. Prosecutors in California say Jose Manuel Perez, 30, smuggled more than 1,700 wild animals, including 60 reptiles, worth $739,000 into the U.S. Officials found reptiles hidden in his clothing in small bags. When he was caught crossing into the U.S., federal agents said he had about 60 reptiles on him, including some in his pants.
INACCURATE WEATHER FORECASTS LEAD TO FIRING TWO. The head and deputy head of Hungary’s National Meteorological Service were fired following an inaccurate rain forecast. The forecast prompted postponement of a fireworks display set for St. Stephen’s Day, the country’s most important national holiday.
TWIN GIANT PANDAS BORN. Twin giant pandas --- a male and a female --- are born at a breeding center in southwestern China. The cubs are the second pair of twins born to their mother.
DROUGHT SENDS DANUBE RIVER TO LOW LEVEL. Europe's worst drought in years has pushed the Danube River to one of its lowest levels in almost a century, exposing the hulks of dozens of explosives-laden German warships sunk during World War II near Serbia's river port town of Prahovo.
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MONKEY DIALS 911. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office was surprised to learn a monkey at the Zoo to You in Paso Robles called 911. Deputies were dispatched to the zoo. Seems that Route, a capuchin monkey, picked up the zoo’s cellphone from a golf cart and dialed 911.
AMERICAN AIRLINES ORDERS SUPERSONIC JETS. American Airlines orders 20 supersonic jets for future faster travel. The jets are in the drawing board phase, years away from production and flying. “Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers,” says Chief Financial Officer Derek Kerr.
TERRIER ALERTS OWNERS ON HOUSE FIRE. In Maryland, a Cairn terrier turns out to be a hero in alerting his owners on a house fire. He barks until the family wakes up and escapes the blaze that destroyed the home.
CONDE NAST REVENUE GROWS. While most digital publishers are forecasting slowdowns in advertising growth, Condé Nast this year expects to exceed the nearly $2 billion in total revenue it saw in 2021 thanks to continued growth in its advertising business, informs Axios.
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The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the rest of the world over the past 43 years, points out a Popular Science article, notes Grumpy Editor.
"This means the Arctic is on average around 3℃ warmer than it was in 1980," it adds. "This is alarming, because the Arctic contains sensitive and delicately balanced climate components that, if pushed too hard, will respond with global consequences.”
A large part of the explanation relates to sea ice, a thin layer of sea water that freezes in winter and partially melts in the summer.
The article mentions “the sea ice is covered in a bright layer of snow which reflects around 85 percent of incoming solar radiation back out to space.”
When covered with sea ice, it adds, the Arctic Ocean acts like a large reflective blanket, reducing the absorption of solar radiation. As the sea ice melts, absorption rates increase, resulting in a positive feedback loop where the rapid pace of ocean warming further amplifies sea ice melt, contributing to even faster ocean warming.
One result of Arctic warming: Faster melting of the Greenland ice sheet. That adds to a rise in sea level.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
SPIDERS TWITCH WHEN THEY SNOOZE. Scientists focused on spiders and their snoozing. Training cameras on sleeping spiders, scientists note their legs twitched and parts of their eyes flickered. With humans that action is closely linked with dreaming.
SOUTH KOREA GETS HEAVIEST RAINFALL IN 75 YEARS. South Korea experiences its heaviest rainfall since World War II with downpours flooding subway stations and submerged cars on streets. Rainfall measured almost 16 inches from a two-day storm in some parts of the country.
ATOMIC BOMBING REMEMBERED. The mayor in Nagasaki, Japan paid tribute to victims of the U.S. atomic bombing 77 years ago then mentioned Russia’s war on Ukraine shows the world that another nuclear attack isn't just a worry but ”a tangible and present crisis.”
WITH TEACHER SHORTAGE, PARENTS STEP IN. Going into the school year, the U.S. has 300,000 teacher vacancies. Parents are stepping in as substitutes in efforts to keep schools operating.
HEAVY PRICE TAGS ON RENAMING ARMY BASES. Renaming Army bases linked to the Confederacy could cost more than $21 million. The installations honor Confederate generals from the Civil War. Congress is weighing the name changes.
MARILYN MONROE LOS ANGELES HOME SOLD. A Los Angeles area home (considered modest by today’s standards) once owned by actress Marilyn Monroe lists for $6.9 million. Despite her fame, Monroe bought her first home four months before her death.
CAPE COD SEWER EMERGENCY DECLARED. A popular beach town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts declared a sewer emergency, ordering restaurants and other food establishments to close immediately in Provincetown during the busy summer vacation period.
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Hang on. Scientists say Earth is spinning faster and recently recorded its shortest day, notes Grumpy Editor.
June 29 was 1.59 millisecond less than the average day, they note.
Normal length of a day is 24 hours, or 86,400 seconds. But in recent years, the Earth's rotation has accelerated, shortening some days by milliseconds.
"Since 2016 the Earth started to accelerate," says Leonid Zotov with Lomonosov Moscow State University. “This year it rotates quicker than in 2021 and 2020.”
Zotov and his colleagues believe the fluctuation could be caused by the Earth's tides, adding not every day is shorter, but if the trend continues, atomic time --- the universal way time is measured on Earth --- may have to change.
Some scientists propose introducing a negative leap second. "Since we cannot change the clock arrows attached to the Earth rotation, we adjust the atomic clock scale," relates Zotov.
As opposed to leap years, which have an extra day added, a negative leap second would mean clocks skip one second.
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AIR FORCE GROUNDS AIRCRAFT. The Air Force grounds almost 300 training aircraft as potentially defective ejection seat part safety concerns spread. That’s nearly half the combat training aircraft and a smaller portion of primary training aircraft.
GOP SELECTS MILWAUKEE. Republicans select Milwaukee for its 2024 national convention. Nashville took itself out of the running when the city council rejected a draft agreement for hosting the event.
UPPER THAMES RIVER DRIES UP. Following weeks of little rainfall and a July heat wave in Britain, the starting point of England's famous River Thames has dried up and moved downstream. Last month’s heat smashed the UK’s all-time temperature record.
“GUARD CAT” PREVENTS ROBBERY. A pet cat in Belden, Miss. helped prevent an early morning robbery at the home of Fred Everitt. Bandit, a 20-pound cat, alerted his owner with loud meows when two people tried to break into a home.
CHEETAH GOES FOR SPEED. Fastest running animal? It’s a cheetah, capable of running as fast as 70 miles an hour. Yes, exceeding the speed limit in many cities. The big cat’s body is quite literally built for speed, with long legs, long neck and small head.
FLORIDA LEADS IN APPEAL. Florida leads the list of states where people say they’d move if they had the chance, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey. It finds 18 percent of adults would rather live in Florida while 11 percent prefer California and 10 percent would choose New York.
HITLER'S WRISTWATCH SOLD. A Maryland auction house sells a wristwatch that once belonged to Adolf Hitler for $1.1 million. Alexander Historical Auctions in Chesapeake City had estimated the value between $2 and $4 million, describing the watch as a World War relic of historic proportions.
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A big yawner in the news is word that North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un warns he’s ready to use nuclear weapons in potential military conflicts with the U.S. and South Korea, notes Grumpy Editor.
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San Francisco’s planning department recently threatened to fine a couple $1,500 for parking in their own driveway, notes Grumpy Editor.
It's illegal to park in front of a house unless it's accompanied by a garage or cover, the planning department maintained.
Putting their car in the driveway for 36 years, the couple believe the space has been used for parking since the house was built in 1910 in the Noe Valley neighborhood.
The planning department told the couple the city would waive the fine if they could prove that the lot has historically been used for parking.
With evidence showing the space has been used for parking since the 1950s, the planning department reversed itself.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...
INDIA SOON TO BECOME MOST POPULOUS. World population is expected to reach 8 billion in four months with projections that India will replace China as the world's most populous nation next year.
U.S., JAPANESE PLANES SHOW FORCE. More than 50 U.S. and Japanese warplanes flew over waters near Japan as they put on a show of force amid rising tensions in the region with China and Russia. Aircraft included a dozen U.S. Air Force top-of-the-line F-22 stealth fighters, four F-35 stealth jets and 13 F-15 jets. They were joined by 20 Japanese F-15 and F-2 fighters.
SOME CITIES LOSE FLIGHTS. Some U.S. cities by September will lose some or all air service from United, Delta or American Airlines. That stems from pilot shortages, a rise in fuel prices, new contract with the pilots and inflation.
JILL, LONG-TIME SHELTER DOG ADOPTED. American pit bull mix Jill, a Henrietta, Texas dog, is adopted after spending 10 years — most of her life — at Clay County Animal Shelter.
AMERICAN FALLS INTO VESUVIUS CRATER. A 23-year-old Maryland man is rescued after falling into the crater of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius while taking a selfie. He was visiting with two family members. All hiked up Vesuvius from the Ottaviano to the top of the volcano through a forbidden trail.
POLICE CHASE WANDERING KANGAROO. Police in Hungary capture an unusual animal on the loose, a kangaroo, after a chase of more than three miles. The marsupial was transported to the Budapest Zoo while police investigate where the animal came from.
FISH ENDANGERED IN MAINE WATERS. Scientists say the Gulf of Maine is warming rapidly and is getting saltier, more acidic and increasingly stratified -- raising concerns for fish. The region has historically produced some of the world's richest fish stocks — from cod to lobsters — leading to the building of billion-dollar industries.
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FUNDS DESTINED FOR 85 AIRPORTS. The Biden administration is sending nearly $1 billion to 85 airports to expand and upgrade terminals and other facilities. The funds, making flying safer and more efficient, were approved in last year's infrastructure bill.
HUTCHINSON'S TESTIMONY SCORES HIGH. Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony before the Jan. 6 committee scored high with television viewers. It garnered a larger live audience than any of the four earlier daytime hearings.
MORE U.S. MILITARY ITEMS GOING TO UKRAINE. The U.S. is sending another $400 million in military equipment to Ukraine, including four more advanced rocket systems able to strike deeper behind Russian front lines.
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