Grumpy Editor

BY PHONE, TRY TO REACH A LIVE BODY AT YOUR LOCAL POST OFFICE

Even without the busy Christmas season, guarded closer than Pentagon secret telephone numbers are those leading to live personnel at postal facilities, observed Grumpy Editor.

A look under U.S. Postal Service listings in the latest CenturyLink telephone directory comes up with this: “Postal representatives are available to respond to your questions & or concerns 24 hours per day---7 days a week.  Please call---”

Yeah, try.

In Grumpy Editor’s phone book there are 34 Post Office locations listed --- NONE with a telephone number.

A call to the regional postmaster brings a recorded voice, that includes information on passports.  But that’s it.  No live postal workers.

A Web search turns up some telephone numbers.  But dialing them produce no live action.

The main phone number unearthed for the area, automatically disconnects about a minute after dialing.

Listed separately in the phone book with businesses beginning with the letter “U” is “United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General” with the address. 

What this leads to is standing in line at your nearby postal facility to get an answer to a question.  

Dial a regional postmaster and get another recorded voice.

Also, not being able to connect immediately with a postal authority makes it easier for thieves who break into mail boxes, especially cluster versions, and making off with contents.

Perhaps some of the extra funds from the five cents per stamp increase upcoming next month can be used for live personnel to man Post Office phones.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

VETERANS HIT BY HOSPITAL STAFF SHORTAGES.  Staff shortages at military hospitals have forced some to discontinue services, refer patients to private providers and send others to Veterans Affairs hospitals for treatment, a government watchdog has found, reported Stars and Stripes, adding "in some cases, lack of civilian personnel could threaten the accreditation of hospital programs."

NUNS VISIT CASINOS.  Two nuns from a Catholic school in Torrance, Calif.  over a decade allegedly stole more than $500,000 from their school which they spent in casinos and on vacations.

HELLO, ANYONE HOME?  A moose awakened a couple in Anchorage by ringing the doorbell.  A video showed the large moose backing its caboose into the doorbell.

ANOTHER NORTH KOREA “SURPRISE.”  A think tank reported North Korea is expanding facilities near the Chinese border thought to house long-range miissiles that can reach the U.S.

GAIN IN GOLDEN STATE SOLAR USE SET.  California last week became the first state requiring homes built in 2020 and later to be solar powered. The new provisions are expected to boost the number of rooftop solar panels in the Golden State.  Builders last year took out solar permits for more than 115,000 new homes.

NEWS WORKFORCE FACES CUTS.  Thomson Reuters Corp. said it plans to cut its workforce by 12 percent, or 3,200 positions, by 2020 as part of a push to reduce spending.

CALIFORNIA LEADS WITH WELFARE PROGRAMS.  The Center for Immigration Studies said about 72 percent of households headed by noncitizens and immigrants use one or more forms of taxpayer-funded welfare programs in California, the top immigrant-receiving state in the U.S.  This compared with about 35 percent of households headed by native-born Americans using welfare in that state.

END OF THE RUN?  Fate of The Weekly Standard is uncertain, Editor-in-Chief Stephen Hayes informed staff last week, according to CNN.  Ryan McKibben, chairman of MediaDC, publisher of the conservative magazine, asked to meet with Hayes this week.

BOOST FOR SEARS, KMART?  Sears chairman and former CEO Eddie Lampert has, via his ESL Investments hedge fund, bid $4.6 billion to buy around 500 Sears and Kmart stores from the bankrupt operation. The bid included Diehard battery and Kenmore appliance brands. 

U.S. MOVIE FLOPS IN CHINA.  The film, Crazy Rich Asians, may have been a surprise hit in the U.S., but it hasn't gone down well in China where it flopped on its opening weekend, reported South China Morning Post.  Social media users there indicated the Cinderella-esque plot was "bland" and reminiscent of typical Chinese TV plotlines, said the newspaper, adding some also took offense at the title. 

SOME RETAILERS RATED 'NICE' IN USING CHRISTMAS IN ADVERTISING

Some retailers during the holiday season refrain from using the word “Christmas” in advertising and the American Family Association (AFA) notes them on its list of "naughty" companies while branding "nice" another list of firms that use Christmas, observes Grumpy Editor.

The AFA, headquartered in Tupelo, Miss., placed these companies on its “nice” list:

1-800-Flowers.com, Ace Hardware, AFA Online Store, Banana Republic, Bass Pro Shops, Bath & Body Works, Bed Bath & Beyond, Belk, Big Lots, Books-A-Million, Cabela's, Cracker Barrel, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillards, Do-It-Best Hardware, Dollar Tree, Fred's, H.E.B. Stores, HSN.com, Hallmark, Harbor Freight, Harris Teeter Stores, Hobby Lobby, Home Depot, Hy-Vee Stores, JCPenney, JoAnn Fabrics, Kirkland's, Kmart, Kroger, L.L. Bean, Lowe's, Macy's, Marshalls, Meijer, Menard's, Michael's Stores, Neiman Marcus, Pier One Imports, ProFlowers.com, Publix, QVC.com, Rite Aid, Sam's Club, Scheels Sporting Goods, Super D Drug, TJ Maxx, Toys R Us, True Value, Wal-Mart and Zappos.com.

The AFA evaluates five areas to decide whether a retailer is "Christmas-friendly" in its advertising: print media (newspaper inserts), broadcast media (radio/television), website, social media (Facebook, Twitter) and/or personal visits to the store.

“If a company has items associated with Christmas, but did not use the word ‘Christmas,’ then the company is considered as censoring Christmas, pointed out AFA.

The list is continually updated, added AFA, and only national companies are evaluated “naughty” or “nice.”

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

FEDEX DRIVER SAVES FLAG.  An unidentified FedEx driver in Maryland saw an American flag on the ground from a wind-blown broken flag pole, made a quick unscheduled stop on his delivery route to work the flag in the proper triangular fold and place in on the porch of the home.  The action was captured on video.

 

RADIO STATION BANS CLASSIC SONG.  FM radio station WDOK in Cleveland pulled the 1940s classic song, "Baby It's Cold Outside," from its lineup after one listener expressed concern over the lyrics. In the tune, which has been spotlighted by many artists since its debut, a female sings: "I really can’t stay,” to which a man responds: "But baby, it’s cold outside.”

 

JERRY SPRINGER TO BECOME JUDGE JERRY.  Jerry Springer, best known as host of “The Jerry Springer Show” and who started his career as a lawyer, next fall will debut as “Judge Jerry,” where he will hear testimony and render verdicts before a studio audience on NBC.

"MISINFORMATION" RATED TOP WORD IN 2018.  “Misinformation,” judged word of the year from Dictionary.com, was selected to serve as a “call to action” in the battle against fake news.

WHAT’S AHEAD: GLOBAL WARMING --- OR BIG CHILL?

Two news stories last week take opposite positions on climate change, observed Grumpy Editor.

One details how global warming from burning of coal, oil and gas is hurting each region of the U.S. and how it impacts different sectors of the economy, including energy and agriculture.

“Climate change is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy and the natural systems that support us,” said the report, which garnered coverage on most Sunday morning shows.

It added that worsening air pollution was causing lung and heart problems, more diseases from insects, the potential for an increase in deaths during heat waves and more allergies.

David Easterling, director of the Technical Support Unit at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, emphasized climate change the Earth is experiencing is unlike any other, mentioning, “the global average temperature is much higher and is rising more rapidly than anything modern civilization has experienced, and this warming trend can only be explained by human activities.”

On the other hand, Investor’s Business Daily pointed out “NASA data show that global temperatures dropped sharply over the past two years. Not that you'd know it, since that wasn't deemed news.”

The publication cited an expert who noticed something surprising with the official NASA global temperature data:  From February, 2016 to February, 2018 "global average temperatures dropped by 0.56 degree Celsius --- the biggest two-year drop in the past century.”

“Isn't this just the sort of man-bites-dog story that the mainstream media always says is newsworthy?” asked Investor’s Business Daily, adding “in this case, it didn't warrant any news coverage.”

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

SEVERANCE PAY SPOTLIGHTED.  Much coverage was given to White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Bill Shine receiving $8.4 million in severance pay from 21st Century Fox after he left the organization in May, 2017 — with more payments upcoming.   Nothing sinister about that.  Meanwhile, news outlets were not as stirred up over word that Megyn Kelly will walk away from NBC News with a reported more than $30 million, the value left on her three-year $69 million contract.

CHARLIE BROWN CALLED RACIST.  Despite smooth sailing over the years, turns out cartoon character Charlie Brown is a racist, said critics.  In a repeat of the classic last week on ABC, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” brought growls for seating its only black character, Franklin, alone on one side of the holiday table while Charlie Brown and his white friends, including Peppermint Patty, Sally and Snoopy, were seated across from him.  The special debuted Nov. 20, 1973.

TEENAGERS STEAL PLANE, FLY 15 MILES.  Two Utah boys, 14 and 15, were arrested, accused of stealing a fixed-wing, single engine light sport aircraft and flying it 15 miles before safely landing at a local airport in Uintah County.

DOG STEERS TRUCK INTO FARMER.  An inquest Friday determined that a British dairy farmer was crushed to death when his Jack Russell dog pushed a lever inside a forklift truck, causing it to drive into him. The farmer left the vehicle in neutral and didn't set the handbrake when he got off to open a gate.

ARMY UNIFORMS TO TURN GREEN.  The Army is finalizing green throwback uniforms inspired by soldiers’ World War II attire, but only recruiters should expect to don the new duds for the time being. Official title of the new garb:  Army greens. About 200 prototypes will be fielded primarily by recruiters.

TROOP COST NOT QUESTIONED.  No reporter or editor questioned the announced $72 million cost of using 5,900 active duty troops at the Southwest border.  That figure was conveyed to Congress by the Pentagon.  Apparently the Pentagon, which should know about such things, was unaware that with those on active duty --- whether on a base, in a recruiting office or in Washington --- their monthly pay in the U.S. is the same.

DOG BIDS FAREWELL TO STAGE.  Archie, a 19-year-old Yorkshire Terrier is retiring from show business after more than 125 performaces in  “The Nutcracker” in Providence, R.I.  The ballet will be holding auditions Dec. 2 for other canine performers, looking for “a pup with an elegant prance, regal coat of fur and charming smile."  

THOUSAND OAKS NEWSPAPER TACKLES DUAL TRAGEDIES

With shootings and massive fire striking Thousand Oaks, Calif., within days, the local newspaper --- Thousand Oaks Acorn --- certainly jumped in to tackle coverage of the events in a city that was ranked third safest in the U.S., observed Grumpy Editor.

Under publisher Jim Rule, managing editor John Loesing and editor Kyle Jorrey, it operated much like a major city daily in getting the word out.

 

With a circulation of almost 40,000, serving the communities of  Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, North Ranch and Westlake Village, the 44-page weekly tabloid did a commendable job in reporting the shooting at Borderline Grill & Bar along with a raging fire, the most destructive in Conejo Valley history, that consumed about 500 homes in its circulation area.

 

For a paper of its size, it has a photo editor and two photographers and eight editorial staff writers, all highly active during the week.

 

Its opinion page last week carried an editorial, "A community in mourning tries to heal."

 

It mentioned, "Never in the history of our community has there been such a terrible one-two punch to the gut:  a mass murder followed by massive destruction from fire.

 

"People need to be heard.  If your life was inconvenienced for a few days, seek out and comfort the neighbor whose life was destroyed during those same few days.

 

"Look for ways to console, to donate and to volunteer --- not just in the immediate aftermath of the horrible past week but throughout the year when recent events are no longer in the headlines or trending on social media.  Those who have suffered great loss will need our help."

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

PRESS PASSES NOT EASY TO GET.  Amazing about the heavy coverage given to the yanking of CNN's Jim Acosta's White House press pass.  It's been Grumpy Editor's observation that over the years before a press pass is issued, via police department or city hall, as examples, the issuing authority screens the applicant thoroughly and can nix or pull issuance for any reason.

SURPRISE!  MORE NORTH KOREA MISSILE SITES.  There shouldn't be any surprise that tricky North Korea was found --- via satellite imagery --- to have 13 secret missile development sites, making it tougher to formulate an arms control agreement.

 

MACY'S CUTS STAFF.  Macy's, where it's already difficult to locate a store employee for guidance, plans to reduce the amount of merchandise and number of workers while walling off sections of stores, leaving the space vacant.

LONG COLD WINTER AHEAD?  Global warming folks will find it hard to agree, but NASA scientist Martin Mlynczak, declared a long, cold winter could see temperatures across the planet plunge to depressing lows stemming from sunspot activity on the surface of our star dropping so low that it could herald the arrival of a "uniquely grim Ice Age."  Mlynczak at Langley Research Center, warned "our atmosphere is losing heat energy."

JAL SEEKS TO KEEP PILOTS SOBER.   Japan Airlines, facing a problem with pilots showing up for work drunk, introduced a breathalyzer system at foreign airports.  Japan does not set alcohol limits for pilots, so it's up to airlines to keep them sober, reported BBC.

TOSS THE RAZOR BLADES.  Men who have full beards are more attractive than those who are clean-shaven, according to a study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology. Researchers asked more than 8,500 women to rate men on their attractiveness as a long-term romantic partner.  Heavy stubble (10 days worth) topped the list, followed by full beards and light stubble, with clean shaven at the bottom.

PIG FEVER SWEEPS CHINA.  An outbreak of African swine fever over the last three months has spread to over half of China's provinces.  China has labelled the epidemic "very serious," reported Asia Times. The virus doesn't affect humans but it is fatal to pigs.

ONE CONTROLLER IN MAJOR U.S. AIRPORT TOWER CONFUSES PILOTS

Lost in post-election and California fires coverage was the revelation that one of the 10 busiest airports in the world had pilots muttering when the sole air traffic controller on night duty became impaired and started to mumble, observed Grumpy Editor.

Federal and airport authorities are investigating why an air traffic controller became incapacitated and went silent in the tower at busy McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

During a 40-minute span, the female controller slurred words and then apparently lost consciousness shortly before midnight Wednesday.

Some pilots started radioing each other and indicated they were going too stay in place until there was a resolution.

Five inbound aircraft remained airborne during the incident and aircraft on the ground held positions or communicated between themselves to maintain safety while moving, said the Federal Aviation Administration.

Things got back to normal about 25 minutes later when a second controller began handling air traffic.

Rep. Dina Titus, a member of the House subcommittee on aviation, described the incident as "deeply disturbing."

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

THAI BUSINESSMAN BUYS FORTUNE MAGAZINE.  Meredith Corp. sold Fortune magazine to Thai businessman Chatchaval Jiaravanon for $150 million cash.  Alan Murray will run it.

FOX NEWS MAKES FIRST CALL IN ELECTION.  Fox News was the first major news organization to project that the Democrats would retake control of the House of Representatives.  About 50 minutes after Fox News’s call, NBC News followed.  CNN did not weigh in with a definitive projection on the House until 11 p.m. Eastern.

TRIBUTE PAID TO K-9.  When Hutch, a Belgian Malinois, retired from the Boynton Beach (Florida) Police Department in 2014, he left crime fighting to the department’s other K-9’s and went to live with his police handler.  When Hutch died at the age of 13, the department posted a tribute video on social media that recalled the dog’s storied career — taking part in the apprehension of more than 200 criminal suspects from 2007 to 2014.

ELVIS ITEMS IN NEW EXHIBIT.  An exhibition featuring newly recovered photos of singer/actor Elvis Presley’s time as a soldier in Germany nearly 60 years ago opened at the Grafenwoehr’s Culture and Military museum near the U.S. Army base in Grafenwoehr, Germany.  

OLDER WORKERS TARGET OF RESTAURANTS.  Casual restaurants are aiming to recruit seniors, placing want ads on the website of AARP, an organization of Americans over 50.  Recruiters say older workers have soft skills, including a friendly demeanor and punctuality --- traits younger workers often lack.

 

FATTEST STATES LISTED.  WalletHub — just before the holidays — released its ranking of the fattest states, based on obesity and overweight prevalence, health consequences, and food and fitness. Mississippi tops the list, followed by West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas.

 

UNWELCOMED VISITOR TO WALMART.  The Port St. Lucie (Florida) Police Department dispatched officer Michael Connor to the local Walmart store to remove an alligator (a 1.5-footer) from the employee break area. The alligator was released into a nearby waterway.

 

SMELLY FRUIT GROUNDS AIRLINER.  A cargo of durian grounded an Indonesian plane after passengers complained about the smelly fruit that critics liken to rotten food or dirty socks. The Sriwijaya Air flight, headed to Jakarta from Bengkulu province in Sumatra, was carrying more than two tons of durian. 

 

BOMBARDIER CUTS WORKFORCE.  Bombardier is cutting 5,000 jobs around the world. Most will be in its aerospace division with half of the cuts in Canada.  The planes-and-trains firm feels slashing 7 percent of its workforce will save it $250 million.

 

NATIONAL MEDIA OVERLOOK UNVEILING OF VETERANS MUSEUM

Most national media, preoccupied with tomorrow's election, overlooked a newly-opened national museum that pays tribute to U.S. military veterans, observed Grumpy Editor.

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum opened to the public Oct. 27 in Columbus, Ohio, with a ceremony featuring Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie and former Secretary of State retired Gen. Colin Powell.

Architectural Digest called the $82 million, 53,000-square-foot spiral-like structure one of “the 12 most anticipated buildings of 2018.”

"This museum pays tribute to all our veterans of all generations --- all of us who are willing to make the sacrifice our founding fathers made in 1776," said Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "They gave us a responsibility to protect this beloved country of ours and make it an inspiration to the rest of the world, to make sure we are a democracy and looked upon all around the world as a place of hope.”

Goal of the museum, in downtown Columbus and designated as a “national” site, is to tell veterans’ individual stories, as well as focus on their shared experiences throughout history.

“You’re not going to see tanks here, or planes hanging from the ceiling,” said Amy Edwards Taylor, chief operating officer of the Columbus Downtown Development Corp. “What you are going to see and hear are the stories: Why did someone decide to serve?  What was it like to take the oath, serve in combat?  What was it like to come home?”

“For us, this museum is all about transformation,” added Taylor, hoping it becomes an anchor for a national conversation about what it means to serve.

President Donald Trump made official the “national” designation last June.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

MEDIA CITED IN DIVIDING NATION.  Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of registered voters said the national news media have done more to divide than to unite the country, compared to 56 percent who said President Donald Trump has done more to divide than unite since taking office, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll.

VETERANS DAY SPLIT.  Be aware that the federal government’s observance of Veterans Day falls on Nov. 12 this year while others observe the day on Nov. 11.

GOOD SAMARITAN SAILOR KILLED.  Curtis Adams, a 21-year-old active duty sailor based in San Diego, stopped to help what he thought was a stranded motorist on Interstate 15 in Southern California early Saturday.  As Adams exited his car, he was shot and killed by the motorist who got back in his car, then drove south.  Police later captured the suspected shooter.

TEETH-DROPPING FIND. Construction workers, knocking down a wall in an old building in Valdosta, Georgia, were surprised to find about 1,000 human teeth spill out.  A researcher for the Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum, said the building was once occupied by a dentist. 

 

AFGHANISTAN BATTLE LINGERS.  Think U.S. participation in World War II, 1941 to 1945, was lengthy?  U.S. battling in Afghanistan is in its 18th year — with few signs of progress.

 

YOUNGSTERS BREATHE POLLUTED AIR.  Children's health is being threatened around the world by air pollution, according to a new World Health Organization report that said more than 90 percent of youngsters are breathing polluted air.

 

L.A. MAYOR'S SECURITY DETAIL COSTLY.   Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s security detail has cost taxpayers nearly $450,000 in travel costs since 2015 as Garcetti visited other parts of the U.S. and foreign countries, according to figures released by the city.

 

DRIVER SPENDS SIX DAYS ON TREE.  A 53-year-old woman survived the Arizona desert for six days after she lost control of her vehicle on a rain-slicked road near Wickenburg, Ariz.  Rescue workers said her car dropped 50 feet, landing on a mesquite tree.  She was airlifted to a hospital. 

 

 

        Grumpy Editor reminds:  Vote tomorrow.

WANT TO GUESS WHAT IS A 'VERY HIGH THREAT' TO AMERICANS?

Forget terrorists, unwelcomed packages through the mail, the approaching migrants caravan or super hurricanes, what the U.S. Geological Survey classifies as a “very high threat” are (ready for this?) --- volcanoes, observes Grumpy Editor.

 Government scientists have put 18 U.S. volcano sites on the danger list, topped by Hawaii’s Kilauea.

Others in the top five are Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington, Mount Redoubt in Alaska and Mount Shasta in California.

This may come as a surprise to many readers:  Concord University volcano expert Janine Krippner declares, “The U.S.A. is one of the most active countries in the world when it comes to volcanic activity.”

Other centers of volcanic action:  Oregon's Mount Hood, Three Sisters, Newberry, and Crater Lake; Alaska's Akutan Island, Makushin, Mount Spurr, and Augustine; California's Lassen and Long Valley; Washington's Mount Baker and Glacier Peak; and Hawaii's Mauna Loa.

 

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HALLOWEEN ATTRACTS BIG SPENDING.  With the spookiest day of the year two days away, WalletHub sees $9 billion in Halloween spending this year, with $3.2 billion on costumes and $2.6 billion in candy.  It ranks the top 10 cities for Halloween:  New York, Jersey City (N.J.), Los Angeles, Irvine (Calif.), San Diego, Santa Ana (Calif.), Chicago, Las Vegas, Irvine (Texas) and St. Paul (Minn.). 

MOST SAY U.S. GREATLY DIVIDED.  With eight days to go until midterm elections, an overwhelming majority of Americans say the U.S. is greatly divided, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.  Just 20 percent of those polled think the country will become less divided over the next few years, 39 percent think things will get worse, while 77 percent say they are dissatisfied with the state of politics.

SAME LAST NAME POPULAR ON BALLOT.  In Orange County, Calif., 24 Vietnamese Americans are running for office with 13 sharing the same last name —  Nguyen. They are candidates for state senator, city council, California Assembly, sheriff and Westminster mayor. 

YOUNGER TV  VIEWERS TARGETED.  NBC has its eyes on a younger audience with announcement of a new streaming news network, NBC News Signal. Instead of airing on traditional pay TV platforms, Signal will be available through NBC’s news mobile and over-the-top apps, as well as on other services including PlutoTV, YouTube and Twitter.

EUROPEAN UNION WOMEN EARN LESS.  Britain’s Guardian cites new figures from the EU that show women in the bloc still earn 16.2 percent less than men on average.

 ‘NAZI’ AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN CALIFORNIA.  A vintage World War II fighter aircraft painted with Nazi logos crashed and burned on a highway in Agoura Hills, north of Los Angeles.  An experienced commercial pilot is rescued from the aircraft owned by the Condor Squadron Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving aviation history.

CHINA INKS DEALS WITH JAPAN.  China's talks with the U.S. may not be going anywhere, but the country signed more than 500 business deals with Japan, including the revival of a big currency-swap agreement that's been on ice for the last five years, reports the South China Morning Post. 

HACKER BREACHES AIRLINE DATA.  A hacker made away with details on 9.4 million Cathay Pacific passengers.  It's the worst airline data breach yet.

MUSK’S TUNNEL SLATES OPENING.  Elon Musk's Boring Co. plans to open its first tunnel to the public on Dec. 10, reveals the Tesla/SpaceX/Boring CEO.  The tunnel, underneath the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne, runs around two miles from a SpaceX property.  Musk says the public gets free rides the day after the unveiling. 

TRUCK SHORTAGE LEADS TO HIGHER CHOCOLATE PRICES.  Look for higher chocolate candy prices next year, caused primarily by an increase in freight costs.  Hershey and other food makers face record high shipping costs this year because of a shortage of truck drivers.

FEWER AMERICANS ‘UNBANKED.’  Percentage of Americans who do not have a bank account falls to a record low (6.5 percent) of households last year, reports the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

POLITICAL DEBATES, ADVERTISING GET LOW MARKS, FINDS SURVEY

A Rasmussen Reports national survey finds 68 percent of likely U.S. voters get most of their information about a political candidate from news reports, 13 percent get most of their information from debates, while seven percent rely most on political advertising or family and friends, notes Grumpy Editor.

Rasmussen also finds 46 percent of likely voters have watched candidate debates this midterm campaign season, while 49 percent have not watched any, adding "they’re split on whether those debates carry any value for them.” 

 

For the survey, Rasmusen contacted 1,000 likely voters Oct. 15-16.

 

Grumpy Editor adds that even with unlisted telephone numbers, the campaign season triggers an upswing in unwelcomed political calls morning, afternoon and night left on answering machines.

 

Since the calls are not requested, the candidates plugged mostly get a negative reaction, defeating the purpose of reaching into homes and businesses

 

Another way political candidates attempt to get the word out is via literature that fills up mail boxes --- and usually gets tossed into trash bins.

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

DETAILS UPCOMING ON MISSING JOURNALIST.  Look for Turkey's president to provide details tomorrow on the investigation into missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS UP IN STATES WITH POT.  A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds traffic accidents are rising in states that have legalized recreational marijuana.

WHERE'S THE NATIONAL GUARD?  In Florida, armed looters are targeting homes and businesses that remain without electricity after being ravaged by Hurricane Michael earlier this month.

 

ALMOST HALF BILLION DOLLARS FOR PET COSTUMES.  More than 30 million people will spend about $480 million treating their pets to costumes on Halloween.  That's more than double the $220 million spent on pet Halloween costumes in 2010 when the National Retail Federation began tracking pet costumes.

 

UNWELCOMED BANK DROP-IN.  A slithering 6 1/2-foot python finds its way into the ceiling of a bank in China and spooks staffers during a meeting when it falls from the ceiling.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS BLOOM OFF-SEASON. In Tokyo, some of Japan's famed cherry blossoms bloom unexpectedly this month, raising eyebrows.   The pink and white flowers usually bloom two weeks in the spring.  Experts say a series of typhoons could have contributed to the phenomenon. 

PETA SUPPORTERS GO NAKED.  Animal rights activists, supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and covered in "bloody body paint," demonstrate topless on Thursday in New York City to protest outfitter Canada Goose over the treatment of coyotes and geese.

MARINE RECEIVES MEDAL OF HONOR.  Retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John Canley, from Oxnard, Calif., gets applause in the White House when he is awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump.  Now 80 years old, he "fought with unmatched bravery" at the start of one of the Vietnam War's longest and bloodiest battles.

A HOME RUN THAT WASN'T.  Houston Astros are convinced that Major League Baseball robbed the team of a two-run home run by Jose Altuve when a fan reached out in an attempt to grab the ball. 

 

 

DESPITE MONTHLY PAY HIKE, MORE SENIORS FACING HARD TIMES

 

While seniors receiving Social Security will see monthly payments rise 2.8 percent, or an average of $40 a month starting in January, the number of older Americans filing for bankruptcy has increased, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

Most media, focused on other events (mainly out of Washington) have overlooked this situation.

 

Risks associated with aging include less income --- sometimes attributed to vanishing pensions --- increased health care costs and higher charges for goods and services.

 

A Consumer Bankruptcy Project study finds the rate at which Americans 65 and older are filing for bankruptcy has increased two-fold since 2013.

 

While more than 12 percent of bankruptcy filers are now seniors, only about 2 percent were in that category in 1991.

Meanwhile, nearly half of middle-class Americans now face a slide into poverty as they enter retirement, concludes a study by Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, New York.

The think tank says it is being driven by depressed earnings, lower asset values and increased health-care costs teaming to cause 74 percent in that category to plan on working past traditional retirement age. 

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

 

ARMY VET, 99, TOURS STATES.  With self-financing, Sidney Walton, a 99-year-old World War II Army veteran, is embarked on a 50-state excursion dubbed the No Regrets Tour.  He is making himself available to meet with anyone wishing for a last-chance encounter with one of the dwindling number of World War II veterans.  Last week Walton and his 62-year-old son, Paul, flew from Alaska to Hawaii, 14th state in the tour after visiting Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Florida and Alaska. Paul tells Stars & Stripes choice of each next destination is dictated by the cheapest flight available. Walton is slated to meet with President Donald Trump when he turns 100 on Feb. 11.

 

COLLEGE-EDUCATED NEWSROOM EARNS LESS.  Pew Research Center reveals  college-educated newsroom employees make less than college-educated workers in other industries and occupations. The median earnings of newsroom employees with a college degree are about $51,000, compared with about $59,000 for all other college-educated workers.

 

TESLA SALES BEAT MERCEDES-BENZ.  Tesla outsells Mercedes-Benz during the third quarter in the U.S. and could outsell BMW in the current quarter, stemming from Tesla’s Model 3 attracting more customers.

 

SCRAMBLED JETS AVOID HURRICANE MICHAEL.  While Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City, sustains major damage when Hurricane Michael roared into Florida, the government saves billions of dollars by the commander scrambling the bases's 50 high-tech F-22 fighter jets and sending them to other locations.

 

WWII SAILOR VISITS FORMER SHIP.  Earl Laber, who turns 93 today as one of the last 10 surviving World War II crew members of a Navy ship that is the last of its kind still afloat, visited the USS Slater Friday at its Hudson River dock.  His three sons join him for the tour aboard the ship, now a floating museum docked at the Port of Albany since 1997. 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL WARNING.  Governments' plans for dealing with climate change are inadequate, according to a report from the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC says major cities and entire countries will be flooded unless countries work to limit global warming to "well below" two degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. 

 

WALMART GETS INTO VIDEO.  Vudu, Walmart's video-on-demand service, makes a deal with MGM to create original series based on the movie studio's film and TV catalog. 

 

NETFLIX TO PRODUCE IN N.M.  Netflix plans to open a film and production center in New Mexico, planning to bring $1 billion in production to the state over the next decade while creating up to 1,000 production jobs a year.

 

AIR FORCE FIGHTERS GROUNDED.  A fighter jet crash last month in South Carolina leads to a temporary pause in all F-35 flights.  That affects 250 U.S.-owned jets plus nearly 100 that belong to other nations including Israel and Great Britain.

TRUST IN NEWS MEDIA FADES, SURVEY FINDS

A new survey finds trust in news media is going downhill, notes Grumpy Editor.

First off, for comparison, an older Gallup poll in asking about “the mass media, such as newspapers, TV, and radio” finds while 72 percent of Americans trusted the media in 1976, that went down to 32 percent in 2016.

Newer data comes from Simmons Research which describes itself as a leading source of cross-channel consumer intelligence, measures consumer psychographics, preferences, attitudes and media behaviors.

Simmons two months ago surveyed 2,009 Americans, asking them whether or not they trusted 38 different news organizations.

The chart, below, answers that question.

Leading the list is The Wall Street Journal, grabbing 57.7 percent in trust.

It is followed by ABC News, CBS News, BBC News (getting British into the act), Forbes and NBC News.

At the bottom is Daily Caller, with 22.5 percent.

A gloomy finding by Simmons:  13 percent of Americans say they find none of these news outlets trustworthy.  

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

 

OTHERS DO IT, ADMITS N.Y. TIMES.  Noted in a much-covered New York Times story, topped with three bylines, on Donald Trump’s wealth as a self-made billionaire — and taxes, or lack of:  “The wealthiest Americans rarely pay anthing close to full freight.  The Trump tax maneuvers met with little resistance from the IRS, the Times found.”

 

TOY CHAIN MAY REAPPEAR.  Toys R Us, which liquidated its U.S. assets earlier this year, may be making a comeback.  An investor group, made up of secured lenders, says its scrapping plans for an auction of the toy outfit, believing it stands a better chance on its investment by reviving the chain.

 

TRONC BECOMES TRIBUNE AGAIN.  Owner of the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, New York Daily News and others, is changing its name back to Tribune Publishing Co. from Tronc Inc. effective tomorrow.  Tribune switched its 150-year old name in June, 2016, in favor of Tronc, a contraction of  Tribune Online Content.

 

BOOKSELLER MULLS BUYOUT OFFERS.  Barnes & Noble’s board of directors is reviewing the bookseller’s future after several parties express interest in acquiring it.

 

STORM-BATTERED U.S. FLAG SELLS.  A U.S. flag, shredded on live television last month as Hurricane Florence hit Wilmington, N.C., is bought at an E Bay auction for $10,900.   The unidentified person with the winning bid competed with two dozen others.

 

AMONG FIRST SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS IN NEW TERM.  Missed by media in focusing on other Supreme Court activities is its split over a potential habitat for endangered dusky gopher frogs in Louisiana timberland.

 

AND ON IT GOES.  North Korea warns Washington that ending the Korean War — still open since 1953 — shouldn’t be seen as a bargaining chip in denuclearization talks.  Meanwhile, a South Korean official says North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons.

 

NAVY SHIP SWITCHES VISIT TO SINGAPORE.  The USS Wasp, earlier denied a normally routine Hong Kong port visit by the Chinese in Beijing, makes a stop in Singapore.

 

AMAZON’S PAY RAISE INCLUDES CATCH.  Widely-covered news that Amazon increases its minimum wage to $15 an hour came with a catch:  the company is dumping monthly bonuses and stock awards for hourly workers.  Meanwhile, Reuters reports FedEx is offering retirement-age pilots between $40,000 and $110,000 to keep flying through the holiday shipping season, rather than retiring, indicating how FedEx is being strained by pilot shortages and rising cargo demand. At the same time, UPS is trying to recruit hundreds more pilots.

 

 

CHINA’S POLLUTION TRIGGERS DEATHS.  Air pollution in China causes, on average, 1.1 million premature deaths a year, according to a study from the University of Hong Kong, reveals South China Morning Post.  Researchers say pollution could be wiping $38 billion from the Chinese economy each year, due to those premature deaths and impacts on food production.   

 

AN INDEPENDENT COUNTRY?  California Gov. Jerry Brown signs into law making the Golden State first in the nation to require publicly-traded California-based companies to have at least one woman on their boards.  The new law will ramp that up to three women by the end of 2021, depending on the board size. 

 

HAT’S OFF NEXT TIME.  Television reporter James Bunner, of NBC affiliate KTTC in Austin, Minn., is fired for wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat while covering President Donald Trump's rally in Rochester, Minn.

 

 

 

 

Social Security COLA for 2019: Likely between 2.8 and 3 percent

Look for a 2019 Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) to be between 2.8 and 3 percent, calculates Grumpy Editor.  

That compares with 2 percent for 2018.

The official tally will be released Oct.11.

A big question is:  Will there be a boost in Medicare Part B premiums, as in 2018, that bites into a COLA increase. Part B covers doctors' visits and outpatient services.

 

Seniors faced with higher costs in vital areas such as health care, utilities, car insurance, groceries and travel will welcome a boost.

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics averages consumer price indexes from July, August and September to determine next year’s COLA for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients.

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS GETS SCANT COVERAGE.   The consumer confidence index reaches an 18-year high, climbing to 138.4 in September from 134.7 in August.  That’s the highest since September, 2000.  Meanwhile, U.S. economy racks up the best performance in nearly four years, with gross domestic product (GDP) growing at a robust annual rate of 4.2 percent in the second quarter.

 

MISINFORMATION IS "CANCER."  New owner of the Los Angeles Times, billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, advocates for a change in how people consume news on social media, calling misinformation and how it's spread the "cancer of our time."

 

CADDIE HQ BACK TO DETROIT.  General Motors’ is moving its Cadillac headquarters back to Detroit after four years in New York.  Triggering the move is management wants Cadillac leaders to be closer to vehicle design and engineering.

D.C.'s SHUTDOWN SAGA CONTINUES.  Latest periodic cry of government shutdown ends when Congress last Wednesday approves a $854 billion bill to keep government open through Dec. 7.  So look for more talk about government shutdown in late October.

HALF OF TOP 10 TV SHOWS INVOLVE FOOTBALL.  What moves Americans to TV viewing? Football. With the top 10 shows in the Sept. 10-16 period, five spotlighted football, grabbing first, third, fifth, seventh and eighth spots.  Always high-ranking “60 Minutes” comes in at No. 2.

'DONUTS' DISAPPEARS.  Dunkin’ Donuts is dropping Donuts from its name because of the chain’s increased focus on beverages.  The shorter name takes effect in January.

CHINESE BLOCK U.S. SHIP TO HONG KONG.  While Hong Kong has been a traditional port of call for U.S. Navy ships, the Chinese government denies the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp a visit, causing a fresh U.S.-China chill.

TED TURNER SAYS CURB POLITICS ON CNN.  Ted Turner, CNN founder, says he still occasionally watches the network he started nearly four decades ago, although he thinks it's a little heavy on politics.

USS PUEBLO VETERANS WOULD LIKE U.S. TO GET SHIP BACK

A gathering last week in Pueblo, Colo. reminded some people --- but most media missed it --- of the capture by North Korea of the USS Pueblo a half century ago, noted Grumpy Editor.

North Korean MiG fighter jets and patrol boats opened fire on the American spy ship, leading to the first capture of a U.S. Navy ship since the War of 1812.

 

In the Jan. 23, 1968 incident, one crew member was killed and 82 others were taken captive and held for 11 months in North Korean prisons where they were tortured.

“The crew of the USS Pueblo would like to get our ship returned,” Ron Berens, lead helmsman onboard at the time of capture, told Fox News at last week’s reunion that attracted 40 surviving crew members.

Berens revealed, “There’s nothing in the current history books about the Pueblo.”

Tim Harris, a supply officer onboard the ship, recalled North Korean patrol boats quickly surrounded the American spy ship and opened fire with machine guns and 40mm cannon.

“We never surrendered.  We stopped the ship.  There was never an order to surrender,” Harris said. “We had taken so much fire.”

Today, the Pueblo remains a commissioned U.S. Navy ship on display in the Potong River inside North Korea’s capital Pyongyang.

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL.  Unemployment benefit applications fell to 201,000, a 49-year low in the week ended Sept. 15, reported the Labor Department.

LAWMAKERS EYE GROWING RESERVATION FEES.  Washington lawmakers are considering a provision in a bill that would limit growing fees airline passengers pay to change flight reservations. The Wall Street Journal reported U.S. airlines received $2.9 billion in such fees last year.

READY FOR A 19-HOUR FLIGHT?  Singapore Airlines, with delivery of an ultra long-range Airbus, will start non-stop service --- with about 19 hours in the air --- between Newark and Singapore on Oct. 11.  The journey will mark the world's longest in the air.

ARMY MISSES RECRUITING GOAL.  The U.S. Army missed its recruiting goal this fiscal year (ending Sept. 30), falling short by about 6,500 soldiers, despite pumping an extra $200 million into bonuses and other inducements, reported Associated Press.  However, the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps met their goals.

FLORENCE SMACKS PIGS AND POULTRY.  Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina's poultry and hog industries.  State officials said 5,000 pigs and hogs were killed by the hurricane while 3.4 million chickens and turkeys were destroyed.

VERSATILE CATCHER PITCHES, HITS HOME RUN.  Unusual in a major league baseball game is seeing a catcher pitch the last two innings and homer in the ninth inning.  That's what Los Angeles Angels' Francisco Arcia did last Thursday in a game with the Oakland Athletics.  That triple action in the same game last happened in 1900.  

BANK PLANS MORE JOB CUTS.  Wells Fargo & Co. plans to shed up to 26,500 jobs over the next three years as it adjusts business operations and works to recover from a series of scandals over the past two years.

 

IS HURRICANE STAND-UP ROUTINE NECESSARY IN TV NEWS REPORTING?

One of the weirdest routines in television news over the years is sending into hurricanes stand-up reporters with microphones in hands, braving heavy winds and downpours, and sometimes pounding surf.

Grumpy Editor asks:  Why?

The same, or better video, can be seen with a reporter in a dry, safe studio or in a nearby TV van utilizing a securely-mounted remote on-scene camera to capture the same, or better, footage.

Over the past few days with Hurricane Florence, TV viewers saw familiar faces --- including anchors --- bending with the wind and getting splashed with water as swaying trees and wild breakers are seen in the background.

Does this enhance coverage?

Sometimes the shots are exaggerated.

A prime example, Weather Channel 's Mike Seidel, reporting live from Wilmington, N.C., is seen struggling against a heavy wind in the rain. “This is about as nasty as it’s been,” voices Seidel, leaning with the wind ---- as the camera also captures two young men in shorts walking normally without wind problems behind him. 

The Weather Channel, in defending Seidel, says its reporter was "trying to maintain his footing on wet grass” while the two people in the background were walking on concrete.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

HOUSEHOLD INCOME UP.  Median household income grows to $61,372 last year, up 1.8 percent when adjusted for inflation, while people working full time year round increase by 2.4 million, according to latest census figures .

SIGNING BONUSES FOR SAILORS.  In efforts to retain sailors with desired leadership skills, the U.S. Navy is offering senior submarine officers. for example, as much as $180,000 in signing bonuses.

 

BEETLE TO GET SWATTED.  Volkswagen plans to halt production of its iconic Beetle next July.  The Beetle was developed in Nazi Germany in 1938 and became available in the U.S. 11 years later. 

 

BEWARE OF 2020.  The next financial crisis? J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. strategists, in creating a model, figure it will be in 2020 --- but less painful that former episodes.

iPHONE MORE COSTLY IF U.S. MADE.  If produced in the U.S., as President Donald Trump is urging, an iPhone would cost 20 percent more, tallies an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

CALIFORNIA TO GO CARBON-FREE ROUTE.  California’s Gov. Jerry Brown signs into law for the Golden State to use only carbon-free electricity sources by 2045.  Thus, it joins Hawaii, the first state to go that route.

BURGLARY SHAKES UP ISLAND.  Gigha, a small island off the west coast of Scotland, sees its peace and tranquility broken by a $2,600 hotel storeroom burglary --- the first serious crime in two decades.

HIGHER PRICES SEEN CURBING SPENDING.  A Kiplinger Letter forecast notes business and consumer spending “could slow because of higher prices and heftier borrowing costs.”

BIG BOOK-BUYING DAY.  Veteran newsman-author Bob Woodward’s latest book, “Fear,” sells 750,000 copies the day after the book arrived in stores, reports Simon & Schuster.  The book deals with a dysfunctional White House.

FICTION READING SAGS.  The percentage of adults reading fiction drops to 41.8 percent last year from 45.2 percent in 2012, while poetry reading jumps to 11.7 percent  from 6.7 percent, reports the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

 

 

NEW YORK TIMES OP-ED BY 'ANONYMOUS' GRABS HEFTY COVERAGE

Being sought on many fronts --- especially in Washington, D.C. --- is identification of the writer of an anonymous, much-talked-about New York Times op-ed piece critical of President Donald Trump, notes Grumpy Editor.

The non-byline op-ed focuses on a secret resistance movement at work in the Trump administration that aims to curtail the president's "worst inclinations."

The author, according to The Times is "a senior administration official" as media over the weekend cite about two dozen White House officials that match that title, including cabinet secretaries and their top deputies.

However, Grumpy Editor puts the number of true senior administration officials at about 100.

On Friday, mentioning "national security," Trump declares the Justice Department should investigate and unmask the author and pushes Attorney General Jeff Sessions to move on it.  The president also says he is exploring legal action against The Times in publishing the piece.

 A Wall Street Journal editorial Friday declares, "Surely the writer knew that such insider criticism in the anti-Trump New York Times would be like waving  a red cape in front of a raging bull."  The Journal adds,"The U.S. looks foolish before the world, which makes us wonder if the writer's real purpose is to assist the looming campaign for impeachment.  This is certainly the New York Times agenda."

Others note the coincidence of the op-ed appearing at a time when Bob Woodward's book, "Fear," also critical of the president, debuts.

Ari Fleischer, who was President George W. Bush's press secretary, says writing an op-ed against the president without resigning is a cowardly tactic.  "Support the president or don't work there," he says.

The unsigned essay already is attracting language detectives who use a combination of language usage, statistics and computer science in efforts to identify mystery document writers.  

About the only person who knows the ID of "anonymous"  is James Dao, The Times' op-ed editor. 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

STOLEN RUBY SLIPPERS ALSO GRABS ATTENTION.  Getting almost as much media coverage as the anonymous writer of the New York Times op-ed piece critical of the president, is the recovery in Minnesota of a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film, "The Wizard of Oz."  Insured for $1 million, the slippers were stolen in 2005.

SHHH!  2,000 U.S. TROOPS IN SYRIA.  Not heavily covered by media is that the U.S. maintains about 2,000 troops in war-torn Syria with Washington pledging they will remain until the "enduring defeat" of the Islamic State group.

SECURITY GUARDS ON DUTY IN FAMED MUSEUM. One aspect media miss in covering the massive fire that engulfed Brazil's largest history and science museum --- home to a collection of 20 million items --- is that four security guards were on duty in the building when the fire started.

NAVAL ACADEMY ALLOWS LONGER FEMALE HAIR.  The U.S. Naval Academy is allowing women to wear ponytails and other longer hair styles as the incoming class of 2022 is more than one-quarter female.

DICTIONARY ADDS 840 WORDS.  Merriam-Webster adds more than 840 words to its online dictionary and more than a dozen of them are food-related.  Examples: “avo” for avocado, “guac” for guacamole and “marg” for margarita. Also debuting: “hangry,” the state of being simultaneously hungry and angry, “zoodle” the term for spiralized zucchini, and “hophead,” beer enthusiast.

COMPUTER SAVVY ANT THRIVES IN APPLE DEVICE.   A United Kingdom D.J. in Leeds tangles with an ant trapped inside his laptop’s screen.  Seems it was living a great life for five months criss-crossing inside the $6,400 Apple device before it finally went to ant heaven.

PITTSBURGH DAILY GOES TO 5 DAYS.  Pittsburgh holds the distinction of being the largest U.S. city without a daily print newspaper after the Post-Gazette, launched 232 years ago, cuts its production schedule to five days a week from seven.

BURGLAR'S GETAWAY THWARTED BY MANURE PILE.  A bungling burglar in Hawick, Minn. is nabbed after his pickup got stuck in a large pile of foul-smelling manure in a getaway attempt.  Deputies find him standing on the side of the road, covered in manure from waist to feet and smoking a cigarette.

AIR POLLUTION CAUSES REDUCTION IN INTELLIGENCE: STUDY

Now we know why people in smoggy Los Angeles act somewhat differently than folks in other cities, notes Grumpy Editor.  It’s a metropolis long smothered in air pollution.

Britain’s The Guardian newspaper cites new research indicating air pollution causes a “huge” reduction in intelligence.

The research, conducted in China, is relevant across the world, with 95 percent of the global population breathing unsafe air, continues The Guardian, adding “high pollution levels led to significant drops in test scores in language and arithmetic, with the average impact equivalent to having lost a year of the person’s education.”

Xi Chen at Yale School of Public Health, a member of the research team, says polluted air “can cause everyone to reduce their level of education by one year, which is huge” and the “effect  is worse for the elderly, especially those over 64, and for men, and for those with low education.”

Air pollution causes seven million premature deaths a year but the harm to people’s mental abilities is less well known, mentions the report.

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzed language and arithmetic tests conducted as part of the China Family Panel Studies on 20,000 people across the nation between 2010 and 2014.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE JUMPS.   U.S. consumer confidence index last month rises to 133.4, up from 127.9 in July, highest reading since October, 2000.  Meanwhile, U.S. consumer spending, fueled by strong job growth and tax cuts, gains a solid 0.4 percent in July, the sixth straight month of healthy increases.

IMPORTED NEWSPRINT TARIFFS NULLIFIED.  Good news for newspapers and printing companies, concerned about rising costs and job losses, is that the U.S. International Trade Commission nullified tariffs on imported newsprint.

RUSSIANS-CHINESE LONGTIME MILITARY PARTNERS.  Exciting the media last week with major coverage, a report from Russia mentions it is preparing to conduct its largest military exercise in almost four decades and it will include 3,200 Chinese soldiers.  Most in media forget Russian and Chinese military in joint operations is nothing new.  Their joint effort goes back to prolonging the Korean War, 1950-1953.

VILLAGE VOICE SILENCED.  Village Voice, the famed New York City alternate weekly that debuted in 1955, ceased publication because of financial problems.  It was founded by a group that included writer Norman Mailer.

YELLOW BALLOON POKES LONDON MAYOR.  London protesters, seeking to oust their mayor, launch a giant balloon depicting Sadiq Khan wearing a yellow bikini.

BRITISH PLAN NAVIGATION SYSTEM.  The British government is setting aside at least $118 million in planning for a satellite navigation system to rival the U.S.'s GPS and the EU's Galileo, reports the British Broadcasting Corp.

 

AMAZON PLANS FREE TV SERVICE.  Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch a free TV service called Free Dive, to compete with services such as Roku that rely on revenue from video ads, according to Fortune. 

 

TIME TO EYE NEW JOB?  Here’s the annual list of the 10 highest-paying jobs in the U.S., compiled by GlassDoor, a job review website.

Physician – $195,800

Pharmacy manager – $146,400

Pharmacist – $127,100

Enterprise architect – $115,900

Corporate counsel – $115,600

Software development manager – $108,900

Physician assistant – $108,800

Software engineering manager – $107,500

Nurse practitioner – $107,000

Software architect – $105,300

'EVENT' TAKES THE PLACE OF 'SALE' IN ADS

 

Event. 

Especially with Labor Day next Monday, that’s the word Grumpy Editor sees gaining use in TV commercials and in newspaper ads.

Used as a substitute for sale, event doesn’t quite zero in on the activity being touted since it means occurrence, happening or episode.  Yet, it’s a growing favorite, especially with car manufacturers and car dealers.  It’s also popular with retail stores.

What would happen if you heard “year-end automobile happening.” Or “visit our occurrence today.”  Or maybe “hurry to see our episode this week.”

Those pitches wouldn’t stir many shoppers.

So what happened to the vanished sale?

Unfortunately, sale has been laid to rest with many advertisers, although sometimes one sees “sales event."

Yet, sale remains more direct since it involves “the act of selling” or “a special disposal of goods.”

One advertiser manages to get “sell” (sort of) into a pitch by promoting “sellathon.”

But sale isn’t frowned on everywhere. 

Fortunately, signs continue to go up on front lawns of houses that still read: "For Sale.”

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

MUSK KEEPS TESLA PUBLIC.  Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, decides not to take the electric car company private after considering to do so earlier this month. He attributes the decision to the will of investors.

AIRLINES CUT ROUTES. Because of rising fuel prices, American Airlines cuts some of its international routes, including Chicago to Shanghai.   American also will fly from Chicago to Tokyo three times a week rather than daily.  Meanwhile, in the wake of new U.S. sanctions on Iran, Air France and British Airways are shutting down flights to Tehran.

AIR FORCE CONSIDERS DRESS BLUES AGAIN.  The Air Force may follow suit with the Army by adopting a dress uniform that reflects its history. That means going to dress blues.

MACBOOK WAITING IN WINGS.  Apple is preparing to launch a low-cost MacBook this year, along with a pro-focused Mac mini desktop, notes Bloomberg.

MAERSK SAILS ARCTIC ROUE.  In a trial run, Maersk, the world's biggest container shipping company, sends its first freight vessel on an Arctic route, traveling over the top of Russia from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg.

GOING BACK TO OPEN-PLAN OFFICES.  In efforts to being less stressed and more active in the office, University of Arizona researchers find open-plan offices achieve almost a third more physical activity than their counterparts in private offices and 20 percent more than those sitting in cubicles.

SNAKE BITES PRINCIPAL.  A snake turns up in an Arkansas second-grade classroom and bites the principal, a former Arkansas State Parks employee who attempted to put wildlife experience to good use and capture the serpent, only to be bitten on the thumb. The nonvenomous snake later is released in the wild.

DATA BREACH HITS T-MOBILE.  T-Mobile reveals a data breach exposes personal details of about 2 million customers names, billing zip codes, email addresses, account numbers and account types.

McCLATCHY CUTS STAFF.  The McClatchy Co., publisher of dozens of newspapers, including The Miami Herald, The Sacamento Bee, The Kansas City Star, The Idaho Statesman, The Fresno Bee and The Charlotte Observer, is cutting about 3.5 percent of its staff.

CHINESE SET TO BROADCAST TO U.S. FROM NORTHERN MEXICO

Over the years, some Southern California radio stations have switched to Spanish language from English and now plans call for a high-wattage station in northern Mexico to transmit Chinese, observes Grumpy Editor.

As Washington Free Beacon’s Bill Gertz puts it:  “A large Spanish-language radio station in Mexico will soon begin broadcasting in Chinese in a deal critics say will bring Beijing propaganda to Chinese Americans throughout Southern California.”

The powerful AM radio station is 77,500-watt XEWW-AM, 690 on the dial, in Rosarito, Mexico, about 10 miles south of the U.S. border.  Its signal, more powerful that the top 50,000 watters on the AM dial in the U.S., covers a good chunk of California and adjoining areas.

The 77,500 watts is so powerful than drivers on a nearby highway close to the transmitter can pick up its booming signal all over the AM dial.

Gertz points out that if approved by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, it will turn the Spanish broadcaster into a Chinese-language outlet capable of reaching over 600,000 Chinese Americans living in the San Diego-Los Angeles area with Chinese propaganda themes.

According to government sources, adds Gertz, the pending switch in ownership is prompting the Trump administration to start an investigation into national security implications of the sale.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

CHINA LAUNCHES HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT.  Most editors, heavily focused on Washington doings, apparently didn’t notice the report that China successfully tested a hypersonic aircraft that could be used to deliver multiple nuclear warheads. Experts say it could easily evade America's current missile defense systems. 

MOVIES BETTER THAN EVER?  “Mile 22,” now at theaters, gets a low grade F from reviewer Colin Covert at the Star Tribune, Minneapolis.  He cites, “This all-guilt, no pleasure slaughter gives us six gruesome corpses buried, stabbed and shot all before the opening credits.”  He mentions it is not a film but rather “a cringe factory working on overdrive to churn out sadistic shocks…”

FIRES SMACK INSURANCE COVERAGE.  California’s insurance commissioner expects more insurance companies not to renew homeowners’ policies or stop writing policies in high fire risk areas.

AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALL HITS HOME RUN IN $$$.  A baseball with signatures of 11 members of the first Hall of Fame fetched a record $623,369 at auction.  Among names:  Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Connie Mack and Walter Johnson.

ARMY PAIR SAVE DOWNED U.S. FLAG.  Army recruiters Staff Sgt. Eric Barkhorn and Staff Sgt. Jared Ferguson, attending a “Patriot Week” recruiting event in Michigan when a violent storm hit, knocking down a nearby metal flag pole with the U.S. flag.  The two ran outside, picked the flag up from the ground, then folded it indoors.  “We wear the flag on our shoulders every time we put on our uniform,” Ferguson says, and “it’s definitely really important” to us.

PARIS OUTDOOR URINALS BRING GRUMBLES.  Installation of open-air urinals or "uritrottoirs”in Paris to tackle public urination is outraging some residents.  Nearby signs point to the urinals, painted bright red and used in flower boxes.  One urinal, located near Notre Dame cathedral, overlooks the River Seine.

FOOTBALL COVERAGE MINUS NATIONAL ANTHEM.  ESPN does not plan to televise the national anthem as part of its Monday Night Football broadcasts this season, says president Jimmy Pitaro.

GLOBAL RECALL ON HEART MEDICINE.  The Financial Times reports the U.S. and the E.U. have recalled heart medicine containing valsartan over fears that the drug is contaminated with carcinogens from China, the world's largest supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

CHIPOTLE TO RETRAIN FOOD SERVICE WORKERS.  Chipotle Mexican Grill this week plans to retrain its restaurant workers nationwide on food safety after nearly 650 customers became ill after eating recently at its Powell, Ohio eatery.

FACEBOOK SEEKS PERSONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

A scam artist isn’t the only one seeking your personal financial information, observed Grumpy Editor.

Facebook is, too.

The Wall Street Journal revealed that Facebook “has asked large U.S. banks to share detailed information about their customers, including card transactions and checking account balances.”

The reason?  To offer new services to Facebook users.

The WSJ noted three major banks were approached by Facebook but “one large bank pulled away from the talks due to privacy concerns.”

The social media giant told the banks that customer information could be used to offer services that might entice users to spend more time on Facebook Messenger, added the WSJ.

Facebook Messenger has 1.3 billion monthly active users.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS TO ZERO IN ON PRESIDENT.  Look for scores of coordinated newspaper editorials across the country on Aug. 16 in response to President Donald Trump’s comments on not being covered fairly by media along with his use of “fake news.”     

BANKS TIGHTEN HOME LOANS.  One key reason home sales are off since the second quarter is because banks tightened lending standards along with credit card applications, according to the Federal Reserve which surveyed loan officers at domestic and foreign banks in late June and early July.

BITTER TASTE IN MOUTH.  When a gang of would-be gasoline thieves in Australia tried to siphon fuel from a tourist bus, they tapped the onboard sewage tank instead.

MAGAZINES UP FOR SALE.  Condé Nast, with the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Vogue magazines in the family, has put other titles --- Brides, Golf Digest and W --- on the market.

OSCARS TELECAST TO TIGHTEN.  Look for a “tighter” and faster-paced Academy Awards next year.  Certain categories will be eliminated to keep the Oscars live telecast at three hours next Feb. 24.

BURGER OUTLET SET FOR ARMY BASE.  Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Washington will be the first military installation to host Wahlburgers, a casual burger restaurant opening in spring 2020, reported Stars and Stripes.  

SAMSUNG BOOSTS AI OUTLAY.  Samsung plans to invest about $22 billion over the next three years in artificial intelligence, 5G mobile tech, car components and biopharma.

AMAZON STARTS GROCERY PICKUP.  Amazon is launching a grocery pickup service, where Prime subscribers order groceries online for pickup at Whole Foods stores, similar to what Kroger and Walmart already offer. 

TESLA STOCK JUMP SURPRISES FINANCIAL WRITERS

After weeks rolling out negative news about Tesla, Inc., many in media were undoubtedly shook up when the electric car maker gained almost $49 a share last Thursday following its Wednesday earnings report that showed it utilized less cash than expected, noted Grumpy Editor. 

It marked Tesla’s biggest one-day post-earnings rally in more than five years.

Tesla stock on Thursday jumped 16 percent to $349.54 a share, notching the biggest one-day gain since 2013 and wiping out all of short sellers’ profits for the year.  The stock closed the week at $348.17.

This led a long-time Tesla shareholder to comment:  “The rise in Tesla stock just puts it back where it was a few weeks ago.  It fell a lot based on false and misleading information, so now it is back on a normal path.”

Tesla's shares were up more than 1,900 percent from its initial public offering at $17 a share.

Short sellers borrow shares, then sell them, hoping to buy the shares back at a lower price and pocket the difference. 

Some recent output, sometimes confusing, from financial writers:

“Electric car maker Tesla Inc. burned through $739.5 million in cash last quarter…”

“The net loss more than doubled from the same quarter a year ago.”

“Tesla reported its largest quarterly loss in its history on Wednesday and burned through $430 million in cash over three months.”

“Tesla CEO Elon Musk reported a record $718 million loss yesterday,  but the company’s stock rose after Musk managed to act normal during his earnings call.”

“Wednesday's earnings report also comes as Musk has faced scrutiny for recent erratic behavior.” 

Meanwhile, Tesla said it maintained its targeted production of 5,000 Model 3s in a week multiple times in July. The Model 3 is Tesla's first car that's aimed at mass-market buyers. The company said it wants to produce 10,000 Model 3s a week and expects to produce between 50,000 and 55,000 Model 3s this quarter.

 

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A WESTERN WITH SALTY WORDS ON TV.   Seems Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner on the Paramount Network has resorted to using the F-word and other unneeded offensive (to many) expressions.  Too bad script writers work these in for family viewing.

CONSUMER DISTRUST IN BANKING.  Consumer distrust buffeted the banking industry's reputation over the past year, bringing an end to a run of positive change in public perception in the years after the financial crisis, according to the annual American Banker/Reputation Institute Survey of Bank Reputations.

MAN WALKS OFF WITH SHARK.  A man grabbed and walked off with a 16-inch female shark at the San Antonio Aquarium but police were led to the home of the snatcher who maintained an extensive collection of marine life and the shark was returned to its tank at the aquarium.

NEWSROOM COUNT DROPS.  U.S. newsroom employment dropped 23 percent from 2008 to 2017, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics data.

MORE HISPANICS BACK TRUMP.  The Washington Times noted a Harvard/Harris poll showing a 10-point spike in Hispanic support for President Donald Trump "hasn’t received much attention from the mainstream media."  It added, it comes "in the midst of the nationwide controversy over children and families at the U.S.-Mexico border" and "suggests that Hispanics may not be the entrenched liberal voting constituency that Democrats so often imagine."

IHOP SEES BURGER BOOST.  Remember the recent widely covered “name change” of pancake restaurant IHOP to a temporary IHOB when the B stood for burgers?   In the first three weeks after the announcement hit, IHOP revealed it sold four times more burgers and that burger sales have “remained stable” in the following weeks.

GIs FACE TOUGHER TESTS.  U.S. soldiers will be required to take tougher fitness tests by October, 2020.  A 50-minute test will involve a strength deadlift, a medicine ball power throw, a set of pushups, a 250-meter "sprint/drag/carry" event, leg tucks, and a two-mile run.

AUTOMOTIVE ISSUES TOP COMPLAINTS.  For the sixth consecutive year, consumers complained about automotive issues more than anything else in 2017, reported the Consumer Federation of America which analyzed nearly one million complaints.

CHASE SIMPLIFIES ATM ACTION.  Chase Bank said almost all of its 16,000 ATMs around the U.S. now allow people to withdraw cash using their mobile wallets by simply tapping their handsets on the machines, rather than physical debit cards.

N.Y DAILY NEWS SLICES HALF ITS NEWSROOM STAFF

For Grumpy Editor, it was sad to see The New York Daily News, once the country’s largest-circulation newspaper and winner of 11 Pulitzer prizes, eliminate half of its newsroom last week as part of a broader effort to refocus the newspaper.

 

One tally indicated the newsroom was down to only 45 journalists.  That compared with 400 in 1988. 

 

Staffers were notified of the cuts via emails from its human resources department. The notifications also detailed a new direction for the paper, with an increased focus on breaking news, particularly stories about crime, civil justice and public responsibility. 

 

At it’s peak the Daily News published three million copies a day.

 

"This is a loss for New York City, for journalism, and on a smaller scale there are a lot of really good people going to be looking for work,” said Zach Haberman, who was breaking news editor.

Local newspapers continue to operate in a difficult economic reality, with publications across the country cutting jobs. 

A recent Pew Research Center report found more than one-third of U.S. newspapers experienced layoffs between January 2017 and April this year.

Media conglomerate Chicago-based Tronc bought The Daily News last September, adding it to a stable of other newspapers and magazines that include The Chicago Tribune and The Baltimore Sun.

 

 

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ECONOMY MOVES AHEAD.  Robust consumer spending and heavy business investment were among factors contributing to the U.S. economy growing at the fastest pace in nearly four years in the second quarter.  It resulted in a seasonally/inflation-adjusted annual rate of 4.1 percent. 

HOUSE MEMBERS ON VACATION.  House members have quietly gone on summer recess without tackling major issues and won’t return until after Labor Day. The Senate planned to stay in session most of August after a few days off this week.  With the House empty, there’s not much senators can accomplish. 

FOXES GRAB NEWSPAPERS.  A North Carolina man, after setting up a night vision camera, discovered the source of newspapers piling up in his backyard were from  mischievous foxes.  Footage captured by James Eubanks showed a group of foxes carrying the newspapers from his neighbors yards to his.

K9 TARGET OF DRUG CARTEL.  A six-year-old German shepherd that has aided Bogota, Colombia police detect cocaine hidden in suitcases, boats and fruit shipments, has become a target of Colombia's most powerful drug gang. The cartel has offered a $7,000 reward to the person who kills of captures the canine.

POST SEEKS ID OF TRUMP GOLF PARTNERS.  The Washington Post was seeking tips from the public to identify some of President Donald Trump's  golf partners on dozens of outings since he entered office, citing a need for transparency for those whom the president spends hours with in a private setting.

BofA SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES VANISH.  Some Orangevale, Calif. Bank of America patrons said their safe deposit boxes vanished.  One customer, Susan Nomi, said when she went to open her  safe deposit box of 16 years, the  box was gone, reported the local CBS TV station.  "I was in shock," she said, adding the bank can't explain where her valuables went. “They don’t have an answer," she added but "they thanked us for letting them know."

RUSSIAN HACKERS EYE U.S. UTILITIES.  Russian hackers gained access to the control rooms of U.S. electric utilities, according to federal officials who said the hacking campaign continues. The Department of Homeland Security said the hackers got far enough that they could have caused blackouts. 

PUTIN'S SOCCER BALL GIFT TO TRUMP QUESTIONED BY SOME

A true soccer ball or a listening device?

Grumpy Editor observed that’s the question posed by some after President Donald Trump received a colorful soccer ball from Russian President Vladimir Putin at their joint press conference last week in Helsinki, Finland.

“Quite simply, Russia has devised some of the most ingenious spy devices and methods of all time, and there's plenty of reason to think they could have had the ball bugged,” warned Business Insider. 

Business Insider goes back to 1945 when “the Soviets gave the U.S. a gift so inventive and subtle that it covertly broadcast from the U.S. ambassador’s office for seven years until being exposed by dumb luck.”

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, declared, “If it were me, I'd check the soccer ball for listening devices and never allow it in the White House.”

Also in the eyebrow-raising crowd, TMZ.com cautioned, “Security experts tell us there's a simple way of putting a bugging device inside (the soccer ball) that is difficult to detect.”

The soccer ball indeed received a close examination.

U.S. Secret Service said a routine security screening is standard for all gifts to the president.

“Luckily, whether or not the ball is a completely ordinary gesture of sporting goodwill or a covert listening device, the best place for it, as a gift from Putin to the U.S. is still probably a museum,” concluded Business Insider.

 

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CLIMATE CHANGE CONFUSION.  A New York Times story puts it this way:  “Researchers say it is unclear whether climate change will make California drier or wetter on average.  What is more certain is that the state will increasingly whipsaw between extremes, with drier dry years, wetter wet ones and a rising frequency of intense periods of precipitation.”

HIGHER PRICES ON IMPORTED CARS LOOM.  Look for higher price tags on imported cars in the U.S. if President Donald Trump’s proposed 25 percent tariff on foreign-built vehicles shipped to the U.S. is enacted --- with the added cost passed on to buyers, say experts.

ALMOST $4 BILLION SET FOR TWO AIR FORCE ONE PLANES.  Boeing won a $3.9 billion deal to provide two Air Force One aircraft to be delivered by December 2024.  That would be at the end of President Donald Trump's second term (if he should reach that point).

ROLLS-ROYCE WORKING ON FLYING TAXI.  Rolls-Royce designs a propulsion system for a flying taxi and it reckons the vehicles could be a reality in the early 2020s, reports BBC. The British engine maker joins companies such as Airbus and Uber in envisioning a future of "personal air mobility.”

NEW JERSEY CONSIDERS WATER TAX.  New Jersey lawmakers are considering a tap water tax, claiming it is not a tax but a “user fee.”  Nevertheless, it would add 10 cents per 1,000 gallons of water used in homes.

EBAY LAYOFFS TRIGGER STOCK DROP.  Fortune reports EBay's stock dipped 10 percent after the company announced almost 300 layoffs in the San Francisco Bay Area and warned of lower-than-expected revenue in the current quarter. 

CHICAGO TOPS CITIES WITH RATS.  Chicago gets the distinction as the rat capital of the U.S. via a study by the apartment search service “Rent Hop.”  It notes the city received 50,963 rat complaints last year.  New York came in a distant second place, followed by Washington, D.C. and Boston.

WELLS FARGO SHUFFLE CONTINUES.  Wells Fargo now is refunding millions of dollars for products the San Francisco-based bank added to customers’ accounts without their full knowledge or understanding.

FORTUNE ILLUSTRATES HOW TO LOSE MAGAZINE SUBSCRIBERS

A long-time subscriber to Fortune magazine is baffled on receiving a renewal form enclosed with the latest issue, offering one year (14 issues) for a steep $59.95 --- four times higher than the previous renewal rate paid, observes Grumpy Editor.

And that is offered on a “professional rate extension form.”

A few days later another “professional rate extension form” arrives, this time by mail, showing the same $59.95 “deal.”

Grumpy Editor finds Fortune’s rates and number of issues vary.

Its own site (subscription.fortune.com) lists the one-year (20 issues) cost at $19.99 for print and digital.

Page 6 of the July issue puts the one-year rate at $22.

Confusing?

Fortune, founded by Henry Luce in 1929, is a member of Time Inc. which was acquired by Meredith Corp. six months ago in a $2.8 billion deal that included Time magazine, Sports Illustrated, Money and Fortune. Four months ago Meredith indicated it planned to sell those Time Inc. titles, heavy in news, because they clashed with the company’s portfolio of lifestyle publications such as Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Country Life, Food & Wine and Allrecipes.

From its launch in 1930 to 1978, Fortune was published monthly. In January 1978, it went biweekly.  Then in October 2009, with declining advertising revenue and circulation, the magazine began publishing every three weeks.

Circulation, via latest tally in 2015:  837,981.

As a business magazine, Fortune is noted for issues focusing on the Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, 100 Best Companies to Work For, 50 World's Greatest Leaders, Most Powerful Women in Business, 100 Fastest-Growing Companies and World’s Most Admired Companies.

Meanwhile, the long-time subscriber last week received by mail a “third renewal notice” still pitching the one-year $59.95 rate.  Citing it is from Yvonne Gerald, vice president, Fortune, the notice reminds:  “We have yet to hear from you.” 

That triggered the long-time subscriber to renew immediately --- but via a discount magazine outfit --- for $14.99 a year.

What is interesting, though, is that Meredith, in a recent mailed pitch, is practically giving away two-for-one subscriptions to Better Homes & Gardens, coupled with Allrecipes, along with a free cookbook, a free gardening book and a free storage solutions book.  Total one-year cost for all this reading:  $8.

 

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WALLACE INTERVIEWS PUTIN TONIGHT.  Fox News anchor Chris Wallace lands an exclusive half-hour interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  It airs tonight after the summit with President Donald Trump in Helsinki.

FREE ONLINE MAGAZINE FOR WRITERS.  The summer issue of Writers Tricks of the Trade, a free online magazine, debuted yesterday.  Produced by Las Vegas-based Morgan St. James, author of 16 books, the 37-page issue provides information and news of interest to freelance writers.  View it at https://joom.ag/YlUY.

U.S. NAVY ALLOWS HAIRSTYLES FOR WOMEN.  U.S. Navy says it will now allow women to sport ponytails and dreadlocks,  previously-frowned on hairstyles while in uniform. Further, women in dinner dress uniform will be authorized to let their hair down below the collar of shirts or jackets. But if hairstyles present a hazard or safety concern, female sailors will need to pull their hair back.

"DOWNTON ABBEY" TO RETURN AS MOVIE.  British-produced “Downton Abbey,” a global TV hit over six seasons, is returning, this time to the big screen.  Production that reunites the Crawley family starts this summer.  Primary cast members are set to return. 

BMW GETS MAJORITY CONTROL IN CHINA.  BMW is about to become the first foreign automaker to take advantage of changes to China's foreign ownership rules in taking majority control of its 50-50 joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings --- a demonstration of China's willingness to open up market access, reports Bloomberg.

TV NETWORK ADDS MEDIA SECTION.  NBC News launches a media section and blog called The Query, led by senior media editor Claire Atkinson.  It will include news, analysis and commentary on media, marketing and entertainment.  A weekly newsletter is in the works.

OPRAH GETS INTO RESTAURANT BUSINESS.  Oprah Winfrey, on Vogue’s U.K.’s August cover, might not be running for president, but she is getting into the restaurant business with an investment in Phoenix-based True Food Kitchen, which specializes in healthy food such as fish tacos.

PFIZER BACKTRACKS ON DRUG PRICE HIKES.  Pharmaceutical conglomerate Pfizer Inc., backtracking on plans to increase drug prices following criticism by President Donald Trump, says it will restore prices to levels before July 1 when it made the changes, and they will stay there until Trump puts into effect his plan to combat high drug prices, or until the end of the year if that plan hasn't appeared.

MORE AMERICANS AGE 85-PLUS ARE WORKING

Not widely discussed is that about 255,000 Americans, 85-years-old and up, are working, representing 4.4 percent of those in that age bracket, a gain of 2.6 percent from 2006, notes Grumpy Editor.

So what are they doing?

The Washington Post aggregated census data from 2001 to 2016 to get an idea of specific occupations.  “Crossing guards are relatively likely to be age 85 or above,” observes the Post.  “The same goes for musicians, anyone who works in a funeral home, and product demonstrators like those you might find at a warehouse club store.”

Others eye management and sales, which involve less physical activity for seniors. Also driving trucks is attracting attention.

“By sheer numbers, the top job among the 85-plus-year-olds is farmers and ranchers,” the Post adds.  “It's also the one in which the distribution of older workers is most different from the distribution of the rest of the population. That category, which is distinct from farm laborers, houses 3.5 percent of the oldest workers --- but just 0.5 percent of the rest of the population.”

Grumpy Editor points out some folks in that age bracket are inspired to write memoirs.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

BIG BALLOON TO GREET TRUMP IN LONDON.  A high-flying greeting for President Donald Trump on Friday when he visits London will be a 19-foot “Trump baby” balloon, bearing his likeness as a baby with a diaper.  The balloon, bobbing at about 100 feet, will be tethered to the ground in Parliament Square Gardens in London.

NORTH KOREA EYES SUB FOR MISSILE LAUNCH.  North Korea is reportedly developing a submarine capable of launching nuclear ballistic missiles.  Last year the communist nation talked about firing such missiles off the California coast. 

INVADE VENEZUELA?  President Donald Trump is very interested in invading Venezuela, notes Fortune, adding “an AP report details how he has repeatedly raised the issue with aides, who have repeatedly tried to explain how such a move could easily backfire."

MOMENT OF SILENCE IN NEWSROOMS.  U.S. newsrooms observed a moment of silence on Thursday for the five staffers of Maryland’s Capital Gazette who were killed a week earlier in one of the deadliest attacks on journalists in U.S. history.

INTERNS NOW GETTING PAID.  More companies are paying interns, a result of a tight labor market.  This is a switch from employing interns, a pipeline for young talent, free.

NO MORE U.S.-MADE AVON PRODUCTS.  Avon, after a century producing beauty items in the U.S., is selling its last domestic facility (in Morton Grove, Ill.) to a French cosmetics maker.

ELON MUSK SENDS ENGINEERS TO AID THAILAND RESCUE.  Tesla Inc.’s  founder and chief executive Elon Musk dispatches engineers from two of his companies to help rescuers in Thailand free the boys’ soccer team that has been trapped in a cave.

FALSE OFFER ON FREE DISNEYLAND TICKETS.  Disneyland is not giving away free tickets to 500 families to celebrate the park’s anniversary, despite an advertisement circulating on social media. The false offer looks like a coupon and features artwork of Cinderella’s Castle with Disneyland Resorts written to appear like the theme park’s trademark.

POLL BLAMES TRUMP IN MEDIA RELATIONSHIP.   A recent Rasmussen Reports survey finds 51 percent of likely U.S. voters say President Donald Trump is more to blame for his tumultuous relationship with most traditional media outlets, while 42 percent feel it’s the media’s fault.

NORTH KOREA MOVES AHEAD WITH NUCLEAR ACTIVITY DESPITE PLEDGE

As indicated here on May 28 following heavy TV and print coverage that North Korea demolished what it claimed was “its only nuclear test site” in Punggye-ri: 

At that time, Grumpy Editor --- with a raised eyebrow --- asked, “with tricky North Korea, how do we know that no other test site exists in a country spanning 46,541 square miles topped with remote mountains and uplands that cover about 80 percent of the country's land area.“

So it comes as no surprise that on June 21 --- nine days after the Singapore summit with President Donald Trump --- released satellite images revealed a rapidly-growing major nuclear research center in Yongbyon.

That development comes despite negotiations with the U.S. and a pledge last month by North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un to denuclearize.

A statement signed by Trump and Kim after the summit said North Korea “commits to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

It was with much fanfare last month that North Korea brought in foreign press to observe the blowing up of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site.

At that time, caution was hinted by Britain’s Independent with:  “The North did not invite international inspectors to the ceremony, which limits its value as a serious concession.”

 

Explosions at Punggye-ri, deep in the northeast mountains, were focused on three tunnels and a number of observation towers in the surrounding area.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHTED.  With the suspect in the Capital Gazette shootings in custody refusing to divulge his name and with problems in getting his fingerprints, authorities turned to little-mentioned facial recognition technology to identify him.  Sixteen states allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use that method to compare faces to driver’s license and ID photos

SEAN SPICER EYES TV.  Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is working on developing a television show in which he interviews guests on a variety of topics.  A pilot is in the works.

ARMY PLANS MORE TIME IN INFANTRY SCHOOL.  The Army will extend time in infantry school to 22 weeks from 14 in an effort to give recruits more weapons and combat training. 

HOT DOG PRESSES HORN.  In Somerset, Britain, a dog trapped inside a sweltering vehicle for 40 minutes outside a fast food restaurant repeatedly honked the horn to attract attention for help.  It worked and the small dog was rescued.

NO GLOBAL WARMING IN ARCTIC.  Iceagenow.info reported and illustrated, via a June 26 map, how the Arctic Ocean is almost totally ice covered.

BEAR HELPS SELF TO DOUGHNUTS.  In Hendersonville, N.C., a hungry bear wandered into a garage, found fresh doughnuts in a grocery bag, pulled them out at the door and proceeded to eat them, then wandered back into the nearby woods.

GENERAL ELECTRIC DEPARTS DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE

Struggling General Electric, started in the 19th century by Thomas Edison, tomorrow will be booted from the 30 large, publicly-owned companies that compose the Dow Jones Industrial Average, notes Grumpy Editor.

GE is an original member of the DJIA that debuted in 1896.

National retail drug store chain Walgreens will replace GE which has seen its shares tumble nearly 55 percent over the past 52 weeks amid downturns in its power generation and oil services businesses plus competition and unraveling of finance operations.

Since founding of the blue-chip index, "the U.S. economy has changed: consumer, finance, health care and technology companies are more prominent today and the relative importance of industrial companies is less," observes David Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones.

The DJIA change will make the index a better measure of the economy and the stock market, adds Blitzer.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

SURVEY FINDS TV REPORTING TOPS IN COVERING TRUMP ACTIONS.  A Rasmussen Reports survey finds 49 percent of likely U.S. voters "very closely" follow news reports about President Donald Trump's actions and policies from TV programs.  A distant second is the internet, at 25 percent, followed by radio, garnering 11 percent.   Only seven percent turn to newspapers very closely for information, while three percent look to social media, notes Rasmussen.

 

RUSSIAN SUBMARINES A GROWING THREAT.  Russia is deploying more submarines to the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and North Atlantic than at any time since the Cold War as part of a growing power game driving the U.S. to revive a decommissioned fleet and NATO to strengthen its naval defenses, informs a U.S. Navy commander.

 

LAST STRAW IN SEATTLE.  Starting July 1, Seattle restaurants must stop offering plastic straws and utensils as the first large city to ban such products.  The city passed a ban on single-use disposable food-service items in 2008, but utensils and straws were exempted until the market matured to provide affordable and effective alternatives.

STARBUCKS TO AX POORLY PERFORMING OUTLETS.  Starbucks is going to close 150 poorly performing company-operated locations next year, about three times as many as it usually shutters. Those affected are mostly in urban areas where there are many Starbucks stores.

BOARDROOMS SEE RISE IN FEMALE DIRECTORS.  Through May this year, 248 or 31 percent of new members of board of directors at the country's 3,000 largest publicly-held firms are women, highest percentage in at least a decade. 

 

CANADA GOES TO POT.  Canada's Senate passes legislation that will make it the first country with a major economy to legalize marijuana for recreational use.  When fully approved, the new law is expected to ignite a multibillion dollar industry as Canada joins Uruguay in allowing citizens to use marijuana without fear of arrest.

 

MAJOR LEAGE BASEBALL AIMS FOR LONDON GAMES.  Major League Baseball plans a two-game series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in London's Olympic Stadium next summer after years of rumors about playing there.

 

STUDY SUGGESTS SEAFOOD TRIGGERS SEX.  Reuters Health reports a study suggests couples who eat a lot of seafood may have sex more often and get pregnant more quickly than those who shun shellfish and sardines.  Researchers followed 500 couples in Michigan and Texas for one year, asking them to log seafood consumption and sexual activity in daily journals. Result:  Couples had 39 percent higher odds of having sex on days when both partners dined on seafood.

 

CALIFORNIA VOTERS TO DECIDE ON FREE-ROAMING HENS.  California voters decide in November whether egg-laying hens must roam freely.  The cage-free hen requirement would take effect in 2021.  Along with calves and pigs, backers say extreme animal confinement is cruel and can increase the risk of foodborne illnesses.

 

RAT CHEWS THROUGH BILLS IN ATM.  A rat slipped through a small hole for cables in the back of an ATM near Gauhati, India and chewed through the equivalent of almost $20,000 in bills.  Technicians who fixed the broken State Bank of India cash machine find the dead rat inside and Indian currency notes worth nearly 1.3 million rupees in shreds.

 

CVS ADDS DELIVERY.  CVS Health is launching delivery of prescription drugs and other medications in a move to retain customers following a decline in sales of general merchandise and shopper visits at its drugstores, reveals Fortune.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ATTENDANCE SAGS

Major league baseball is concerned about lower attendance this year and the reason for more empty seats vary, notes Grumpy Editor --- who has his own theories.

A Saturday story in the Wall Street Journal points out league-wide attendance through last Friday is 27,328 per game, down 6.6 percent from a year prior and 8.6 percent overall, adding the sport hasn’t seen an attendance drop of more than 6.7 percent in a season since 1995.

Some think weather --- with rain and unseasonal cold in some areas --- is a cause for the drop.

However, the Blue Jays play under a retractable roof in Toronto, and attendance there is off 29 percent, notes the WSJ.

The newspaper adds crowds also are down 10.9 percent in Oakland (where many empty seats were observed at the Los Angeles Angels-A’s televised game Saturday afternoon), 6.7 percent in San Francisco and 4.2 percent in Tampa Bay where weather seldom is a factor.

Grumpy Editor, with his own theories, cites pitchers (some earning millions more a year than top corporation executives) who, with routines, slow the game.

At Saturday’s game in Oakland, for example, Grumpy Editor timed 36 seconds of one pitcher's mound antics that included rubbing the baseball, putting hand to mouth, adjusting cap, staring in to the catcher.  The ninth inning saw the A’s catcher making three trips to the mound for conversation.

Another factor (not mentioned in discussions) are lofty ticket prices to see a major league game.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

L. A. TIMES OWNERSHIP SWITCHES TODAY.  Biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong today officially takes control of the Los Angeles Times in a $500 million deal that also includes the San Diego Union-Tribune, Spanish-language newspaper Hoy and some community newspapers from Chicago-based Tronc.  It marks The Times return to local ownership.  The new owner plans to move downtown Times headquarters to a building under construction 12 miles southwest in El Segundo.

HOW TO LOSE SUBSCRIBERS.  Fortune magazine, now part of Meredith Corp., sends out renewal notices to long-time subscribers indicating subscriptions are $59.95 a year.  Yet, page 8 of the June issue of Fortune shows it’s $22 a year.

SAT OR ACT TEST SCORES SCRAPPED.  University of Chicago drops a students’ admission requirement to submit either SAT or ACT test scores, saying it “levels the playing field” for first generation and low income students.

LOST IN THE POST-SINGAPORE MEETING CHATTER.  Following their meeting in Singapore, President Donald Trump says he would invite North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the White House.

A TAXING DECISION.  H&R Block is shuttering about 400 U.S. offices --- or four percent of company and franchise locations --- citing the new tax law reduces the complexity of filing annual returns.

RACCOON GOES TO NEW HEIGHTS.  Big excitement in downtown St. Paul, Minn. when a raccoon scales a 25-story office building before being trapped and released into the wild.

CHINESE SEEK LONDON JOURNALISTS.  Chinese state broadcaster Global Television Network plans to hire more than 350 London-based journalists in less than 18 months with plans to set up a European operations hub in west London.

REPTILE DELAYS AIR OPERATIONS.  An alligator slowly crawling across the tarmac at busy Orlando International Airport holds up operations, making busy travelers grumble.

ARKANSAS LAWMAKERS SHELVE HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM.  The Arkansas Legislative Council votes to no longer require high schools to offer elective journalism classes.  After that action, the Arkansas Press Association declares, “It's a sad day for Arkansas students, Arkansas schools and Arkansas journalism.”

PAY-FOR-PARKING IDEA AT LAS VEGAS STRIP RESORTS MAY BE FADING

 

Looks like there is a welcomed (by tourists and locals) break in much frowned-on parking fees at major hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, observed Grumpy Editor.

 

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, starting July 1, will stop charging overnight guests for parking while non-hotel guests will avoid parking fees if they spend $50 or more via restaurants, game play, shops, nightclub, shows and lounges.

 

"We have come to believe that charging additional parking fees is counter to the personalized service we provide," said Maurice Wooden, Wynn Las Vegas president.

 

Complicated parking charges at Wynn and other Strip hotels, instituted in 2016 after being free for self parking, have kept many grumbling visitors and locals away from most major Strip casinos that already charge resort fees.

 

At Wynn, self parking has been complimentary for the first hour, then a $7 fee kicks in for one to two hours, $12 for two to four hours, $15 for four to 24 hours and $15 for each additional 24 hours.  Valet parking fee has been $18 for up to two hours, $22 for two to four hours, $27 for four to 24 hours and each additional 24 hours.

 

Paid parking on the Strip was initiated two years ago by MGM Resorts International, followed by Caesars Entertainment Corp. 

 

Both raised parking fees earlier this year.

 

 

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IHOP GOES FOR A b.  Today’s the day when pancake lovers learn what the “b” stands for as IHOP (the International House of Pancakes), after 60 years, is changing its name slightly, going to IHOb.  Update:  The new name is International House of Burgers. 

 

NO MORE SWIM SUITS OR EVENING GOWNS.  Miss America Organization is scrapping its swim suit competition and no longer will judge contestants based on physical appearance.  The organization also is shelving the evening gown portion of the competition and instead says contestants will wear attire that "makes them feel confident and expresses their personal style."

 

WHILE MEDIA FOCUS ON OTHER MATTERS.  An AARP survey finds more than three quarters of 60 million Medicare recipients “know little or nothing about the initiative to use newly assigned ID numbers in place of their Social Security number (SSN) as their identification.”  Mailing of the new cards is under way.

 

MOST CALL POT "MORALLY ACCEPTABLE.”  A Gallup Poll finds 65 percent of Americans believe smoking marijuana is “morally acceptable” while 31 percent consider it “morally wrong.” 

 

NAVY UNCOVERS SEAMANSHIP PROBLEMS.  A Navy review of seamanship and shiphandling skills of junior deck officers reveals nearly 84 percent of those randomly tested do not have the competency to drive their ships without raising at least some concerns, particularly when it requires taking “immediate action to avoid collision.” 

 

CITY BANS “FOR SALE” SIGNS.  New Canaan, Conn. on July 1 starts a six-month trial ban on “For Sale” signs on homes.  The city’s Board of Realtors voted in favor of the ban, saying prospective home buyers aren’t driving around town anymore but are researching online. The board also claims signs "take away from the beauty of New Canaan and the rest of Connecticut.”

 

TV CAMERA GRABBED DURING LIVE REPORT.  Live reporting by an Australian news crew in London is interrupted by two male bicyclists wearing ski masks who stole their television camera, the latest in a series of robberies n the British capital.

 

MOON TRIP DELAYED A YEAR. Plans by Elon Musk's SpaceX in sending space tourists hurtling around the Moon this year is postponed until at least the middle of next year, the company tells the Wall Street Journal.

WILL STOCK MARKET SEE ANOTHER ROLLER COASTER WEEK?

Investors are awaiting another roller coaster week with stocks that rise and fall with the day’s news, notes Grumpy Editor.

Look at the see-saw action with the Dow Jones industrials last week after Memorial Day on May 28:  Tuesday, down 391.64 points at 24361.45; Wednesday, up 306.33 points; Thursday, down 251.94 points; Friday, up 219.37 points, closing at 24635.21 --- slightly higher than Tuesday’s close.

As Kate Warne, of financial services firm Edward Jones puts it:  “Stocks swung every day but ended last week little changed --- a good reminder to avoid overreacting to daily moves. Bond prices were also volatile, rising when stocks fell and falling as stocks rose. Better-than-expected U.S. job growth countered rising worries about trade wars and new European political uncertainties.”

“Political concerns will likely jump into and out of the headlines, driving volatility going forward,” adds Warne.  “But last week also supported our view that the broader bull market has gas left in the tank, fueled by positive fundamentals of further economic growth.”

Friday’s report from the Labor Department shows a robust gain with 230,000 jobs added in May, higher than the expected 190,000.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate drops to 3.8 percent in May --- its lowest level since April 2000 --- from 3.9 percent a month prior.

 

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CONSUMER CONFIDENCE JUMPS.  The Conference Board says U.S. consumer confidence, buoyed by a positive view of the job market, rose to 128.0 last month --- a 17-year high --- from 125.6 in April.

CALIFORNIA BANS EMPLOYEES' TRAVEL TO NINE STATES.  California bans funding for state employees to travel to states with laws it perceives to be discriminatory.  Oklahoma, Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas are places where Golden State public employees can't go unless they are investigating a crime or tax dispute, complying with a grant or are required to go through a court order, reports Newsmax.com.

SEARS TO CLOSE MORE STORES.  Sears plans to shutter 72 more stores this year, including 48 Sears stores and 15 Kmarts. All will be closed by early September.  By the end of this year Sears will have fewer than 1,000 stores.

IRS TO UPDATE ITS COMPUTERS.  In efforts to implement tax law changes, the Internal Revenue Service plans to spend $291 million updating its 140 computer systems.

PACIFIC COMMAND NAME CHANGES.  The Pentagon is changing the name of the military’s Pacific Command headquarters to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in an effort to improve the U.S.-India alliance.

ANOTHER TYPE OF TV RERUN.  CBS This Morning on a quiet Saturday (June 1) devoted air time to go back 65 years for a look at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1963.

CUTS IN DRUG PRICES PREDICTED.  Major pharmaceutical companies will announce “voluntary, massive” cuts in drug prices in two weeks, predicts President Donald Trump without providing details.

QUICK TURNAROUND BY CONSUMER REPORTS.  Tesla Inc.’s Model 3 electric sedan won a recommendation from Consumer Reports after an over-the-air software update improved braking by almost 20 feet. A week earlier, CR declined to recommend the Model 3 after  testing showed it took longer to stop than a Ford F-150 pickup. 

COKE TESTS BOOZE IN JAPAN.  Coca-Cola Co. launches its first alcoholic product in its 132-year history, a lemon-flavored fizzy drink that will be available with three percent, five percent and seven percent alcohol, but only to consumers on the Japanese island of Kyushu.  Fortune magazine says “Japan is something of a testbed for Coke; it experiments with 100 new products a year there.”

PLASTIC PRODUCTS BAN PROPOSED.  The European Commission proposes the world's biggest ban on single-use plastic products, from straws to cutlery, in order "to save the environment and people from excessive plastic pollution."

 

NORTH KOREA DISMANTLES NUCLEAR TEST SITE, BUT IS THERE ANOTHER HIDDEN IN MOUNTAINS?

Grabbing major television and print coverage by worldwide media was North Korea’s demolition of what it claimed “its only nuclear test site” in Punggye-ri.

But Grumpy Editor --- with a raised eyebrow --- asked, with tricky North Korea, how do we know that no other test site exists in a country spanning 46,541 square miles topped with remote mountains and uplands that cover about 80 percent of the country's land area.   

Much fanfare along with transporting foreign journalists to the scene of last week’s demolition set the stage for heavy coverage.

Caution was hinted by Britain’s Independent with:  “The North did not invite international inspectors to the ceremony, which limits its value as a serious concession.” 

Explosions deep in the northeast mountains were focused on three tunnels and a number of observation towers in the surrounding area.

Many foreign journalists, including eight from South Korea, took a long, rugged trip to get to the site where they spent nine hours.

Getting to the scene involved a dozen hours on a train, followed by several hours on a bus over bumpy dirt roads and then an hour hike to the site.

Meanwhile, a White House team over the weekend headed to Singapore for a possible summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who said he’s still ready to sit down with Trump regarding “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

 

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SCENTED STAMPS COMING.  The U.S. Postal Service, starting June 20, will issue scratch-and-sniff stamps, saying they “would add the sweet scent of summer” to letters.

OBAMAS TURN TV PRODUCERS.  Former White House occupants Barrack Obama and Michelle Obama have been signed by Netflix to a multiyear deal to produce television shows and documentaries.  That development put Netflix under fire over its content deal with the Obamas.  Some Netflix customers say they will cancel subscriptions over what they see as a political move by the streaming service, reports Fortune. 

WOMAN LEADS NYSE.  For the first time in its 226-year history, the New York Stock Exchange is led by a woman.  Stacey Cunningham, who started as a NYSE trading floor clerk, on Friday became the 67th president of the Big Board.

AIR FORCE HOPES TO LURE UP TO 1,000 PILOTS. With a pilot shortage, the Air Force is seeking the return of up to 1,000 pilots, combat system officers and air battle managers for up to 48 months active duty.

NETFLIX EDGES COMCAST.  Netflix Inc., the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 this year, beats Comcast Corp. in market value, highlighting the rise of video streaming over traditional television.

TESLA’S MUSK TAKES ON CRITICAL JOURNALISTS.  Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk says journalists are critical of the electric car maker because oil and traditional auto companies are some of the biggest print and TV advertisers, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. Meanwhile, Musk doesn't like how media reports on his cars' accidents.  So he plans to create a Yelp-style site where people can rate the credibility of news organizations and their journalists

CONSUMER REPORTS READIES INITIAL AD CAMPAIGN.  Consumer Reports magazine is launching its first advertising campaign, using the tag line “Keep it Honest,” reveals Chris Roush, Talking Biz News.

MANY HOUSEHOLDS STILL FACE TOUGH TIMES.  A Federal Reserve survey finds many U.S. households remain in a precarious financial position despite unemployment falling to the lowest level in years.

MOSQUITOES: A BITING SURVEY IS SURE TO ATTRACT READERS' EYES

With summer around the corner, one way for newspapers to attract readers’ eyes --- while performing a public service --- is via a tally of top mosquito cities and how to cope with the stinging insects, observes Grumpy Editor.

Orkin, the pest control company, puts Atlanta in the top spot based on the number of mosquito treatments in the past year.

Filling out the top 10 are Dallas-Fort Worth, New York, Washington, Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Kansas City and Charlotte, N.C.

Chelle Hartzer, Orkin entomologist, says "mosquitoes can transmit several diseases to humans including Zika virus, West Nile virus and several kinds of encephalitis. Each of these mosquito-borne diseases may have serious side effects."

Hartzer points out mosquitoes are able to breed in an inch of standing water, so it is best to remove any object that has the potential to hold water. That includes cleaning gutters to avoid  buildup of rainwater.  Water in containers such as pet water bowls, vases and bird baths, should be replaced every few days.

Adult mosquitoes like to rest in dark areas with high humidity, adds Hartzer.  Trimming shrubbery and collecting leaves can prevent lingering mosquitoes.

 

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SAILORS LEARN TO ‘FLY’ HOVERCRAFT.  The jargon is like flight training.  Sailors train for months to learn how to “fly” hovercraft.  Behind the controls is the “pilot,” called “craftmaster.”  Others in the crew of five:  engineer, navigator, loadmaster and deck engineer.  The Navy requires them to get quarterly and annual certifications and maintain a set number of "flight hours."

KELLOGG SHUTS OPERATIONS IN VENEZUELA . Kellogg Co., citing the deterioration of a country in the midst of an economic meltdown, says it is closing operations that employ 400 workers who produced the majority of the breakfast cereal consumed by Venezuelans.

LOOK FOR ADDED WALL STREET JOURNAL SECTION. The Wall Street Journal launches Exchange on June 2.  Journal editor-in-chief Gerard Baker says the “section will offer a lively and robust report on the week’s business news, featuring the behind-the-scenes narratives, colorful characters and incisive commentary.”

LUXURY REAL ESTATE HOT SPOT.  The hottest market in the world for luxury real estate is Victoria, British Columbia, reports Bloomberg, citing “thanks to Chinese and U.S. buyers, the provincial capital of 85,000 off Canada’s Pacific Coast shot to the top of the ‘luxury thermometer’ in the latest annual report from Christie’s International Real Estate.”

DATA SCIENTISTS GAIN ATTENTION.  Job postings for data scientists rises 75 percent from January 2015 to January 2018 at Indeed.com, while job searches for data scientist roles increase 65 percent. A growing specialty is “sentiment analysis,” or finding a way to quantify how many tweets are trashing a company or praising it.

TRUMP DONATES FIRST QUARTER SALARY TO V.A.  President Donald Trump is donating his 2018 first quarter salary to the Department of Veterans Affairs in support of caregiver programs, reveals White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.