Grumpy Editor

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.