Grumpy Editor

VETERINARIANS CAUTION AGAINST DRESSING ANIMALS FOR HALLOWEEN

Veterinarians warn against dressing pets in Halloween costumes which can cause them harm and spark anxiety on a day they already find stressful, notes Grumpy Editor.

Costumes designed for dogs, cats, rabbits and other furry friends have been rising in popularity, with people often posting images online of their pets dressed as pumpkins, ghouls and ghosts at this time of year.

In Great Britain where the day also is noted, the British Veterinary Association warns costumes could put pets at risk, as the extra layers and accessories could limit their movement.

 

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PANDEMIC AFFECTS FOURTH AND EIGHTH-GRADERS.   Fourth- and eighth-graders are behind in reading and are in the largest ever decline in math — an effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Findings are based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading and math exams, often called the “Nation’s Report Card” and conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics, a branch of the Education Department.

IT’S PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.  As of September, 63 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a Lending Club report. That’s close to the 64 percent historic high hit in March and compares with 57 percent a year ago.

 

IRS HIRES 4,000 MORE.  The Internal Revenue Service hires 4,000 additional customer service representatives.  They are being trained to answer taxpayers’ questions during the 2023 tax filing season.

 

GDP UP 2.6 PERCENT IN THIRD QUARTER.  Gross domestic product rose 2.6 percent in the third quarter versus the estimate of 2.3 percent. The number is boosted by a narrowing trade deficit and increases in consumer spending and government outlays.

 

POPULAR SEATTLE DOG RODE SOLO TO PARK.  Eclipse, a black Labrador mix that became well-known in Seattle and worldwide for her solo bus rides to the dog park, has died.

 

PINE-SOL PRODUCTS RECALLED.  About 37 million bottles of Pine-Sol products are being recalled because they could contain a potentially harmful bacteria called pseudomonas aeruginosa, says the Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

 

EMPEROR PENGUIN RECEIVES PROTECTION.  The emperor penguin will be receiving protections under the Endangered Species Act now that climate change has pushed it into "threatened" status, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Climate change has altered the penguins' sea ice habitat required for their survival.

 

BUSINESSES HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S LIVES: SURVEY

More than half of Americans --- 55 percent --- surveyed by Gallup and Bentley University say businesses have an "extremely" or "somewhat" positive impact on people's lives, notes Grumpy Editor.

Americans draw a sharp distinction between large and small businesses, the survey finds. They are twice as likely to say small businesses positively impact people's lives (82 percent) as they are to say the same about large businesses (41 percent).

The survey also finds Americans are very optimistic about businesses' potential to improve society.  About nine in 10 (89 percent) say businesses and companies have "a great deal of" or "some" power to make a positive impact on people's lives, similar to the percentages who say the same about state and federal government (90 percent and 88 percent, respectively).

Charitable and advocacy groups are seen as having less potential, with 71 percent of people saying they have a great deal of or some power to make a positive impact.

 

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LENSES IN UPPER EYELID.  A woman who felt like there was “something in her eye” actually had 23 daily disposable contact lenses stuck under her upper eyelid.  Dr. Katerina Kurteeva of California Eye Associates, discovered the clump of contacts “in a pancake stack.”

OLDEST TREE IN CALIFORNIA.  A bristlecone pine is the world’s oldest tree species, says Guinness World Records.  Growing in California, it is determined to be 4,854 years old, verified by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona.

ALLIGATOR WANDERS IN — IDAHO.  An alligator, spotted wandering in New Plymouth, Idaho by a man walking his dog, surprises Idaho Fish and Game personnel because the reptile does not inhabit that state.  Besides, alligators are not legal to be kept in Idaho without a permit from the state.

TWO BROTHERS MAKE BASEBALL HISTORY. Two brothers make major league baseball history by playing against each other in NLCS game 2.  "He pitched his butt off," San Diego Padres catcher Austin Nola says of his older brother Aaron, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.

RUSSIAN BOMBERS FLY NEAR ALASKA.  A pair of Russian Tu-95 Bear-H bombers off the coast of Alaska, operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, triggers sending two U.S. F-16 jet fighters to intercept them.

CALIFORNIA TOMATOES FACE SQUEEZE.  Rising interest rates, inflation and drought are putting the squeeze on tomatoes grown in California.  Normally, the period from July to October keeps tomato farmers busy as machines scoop up the fruit and free them from vines.

AMAZON TAKES TO THE AIR.  Hawaiian Airlines will operate 10 Airbus A330-300 cargo airplanes for Amazon.com starting next fall.  The transaction could lead to Amazon acquiring up to 15 percent of Hawaiian stock over the next nine years.

To contact Grumpy Editor:  [email protected]

STUDY FINDS CONSTANTLY READING NEGATIVE NEWS IS 'BAD’ FOR YOU

A constant flow of negative news, such as the long-running pandemic plus shootings, inflation and natural disasters, is bad for you, according to a new study, notes Grumpy Editor.

Researchers in Spain looked at how people are best able to manage feelings of anxiety and depression at the height of the pandemic, finding that one of the most effective methods is to take breaks from the barrage of bad news, reports NBC’s Erika Edwards.

The best predictor for having lower anxiety and depressive symptoms is to "avoid watching too much news," Edwards notes from lead study author Dr. Joaquim Radua, a psychiatrist in Barcelona.  

Others say there's only so much negative news coverage a person can take before that reporting affects mental health.

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BOOSTER SUGGESTED BY HALLOWEEN.  For maximum protection for the upcoming holidays, the White House says Americans should get updated COVID-19 booster shots by Halloween.  It also warns of a “challenging” virus season ahead.

PINK DIAMOND BRINGS ALMOST $50 MILLION.  A rare pink 11.15-carat diamond sells for $49.9 million U.S. in Hong Kong via Sotheby’s.  It sets an auction world record for the highest price per carat for a diamond. 

DELTA INVESTS IN ELECTRIC CRAFT.  Delta Air Lines invests $60 million in a startup that hopes to build electric-powered helicopter-like air taxis.  The aircraft take off and land vertically, like helicopters.

 CHIHUAHUA HOLDS OLDEST LIVING DOG TITLE.  A 21-year-old Florida chihuahua named Toby Keith, is "back on his throne" as the world's oldest living dog according to Guinness World Records.

BORDER PATROL SLIM IN ARIZONA.  Border Patrol agents say they’ve been largely pulled off the border in Arizona, allowing massive numbers of illegal immigrants to walk unstopped into the U.S. The National Border Patrol Council mentions only one in five agents in the Tucson region is assigned to patrol duties. 

GOLD COIN COLLECTION SELLS FOR $845,000.  A collection of 17th-18th century gold coins, found in England when a couple renovated their kitchen, sells at auction for $845,000.  The auctioneer describes the trove as "120 years of English history hidden in a pot the same size as a soda can.”

To contact Grumpy Editor:  www.GrumpyEditor.com

MURDER RATE RISES AT A SLOWER RATE

Despite almost daily front page stories on shootings, the number of murders rose at a slower rate last year, notes Grumpy Editor.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates murders rose four percent last year after jumping nearly 30 percent in 2020.

Law enforcement people have been extra busy working on shootings in cities and rural areas across the country.

As The Wall Street Journal points out:  “Soaring murder rates across the country since the onset of the pandemic have made crime a major issue in local and national elections.”

 

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DOGUE FEATURES DOGGIE CHOW.  A San Francisco restaurant, appropriately called Dogue, offers a range of fancy treats and special menus of French cuisine, tailored specifically for canine diners.  The restaurant’s in-house “pawtisserie” serves healthy and colorful snacks made from organic, locally-sourced  “human-grade ingredients.”  That includes a cake made with ingredients like pastured chicken, liver, wild sardines and organic vegetables.  The restaurant offers a $75 tasting menu every Sunday.

BOA CONSTRICTOR STRANDED ON ROOF.  Firefighters and police in High Point, North Carolina, conduct an unusual rescue when a boa constrictor is spotted stranded on the roof of a home.  They help an animal control officer get to the roof and bring the red-tailed boa constrictor down to solid ground.

UTAH CITY RESIDENTS SNIFF SOMETHING.  Officials in North Salt Lake City, Utah, are investigating the cause of a foul odor reported by residents.  It doesn't appear to be coming from the sewer.  Many locals compare the smell to rotting meat.

TEXAS DOG PERCHES ON ROOF.  An Austin, Texas, dog enjoys greeting neighbors and passers-by from the roof of his home.  Huckleberry the dog started climbing onto the roof of his home years ago and now is a local celebrity with his unusual routine.

$2 MILLION OFFERED FOR BASEBALL.  A baseball fan who caught Aaron Judge’s American League record 62^nd home run ball is offered $2 million for it by a sports memorabilia auction house owner.  The record price for a home run ball is $3 million, paid for Mark McGwire’s record 70^th in 1998.

POLAND SEEKS $1.3 TRILLION FROM WORLD WAR II.   Poland’s foreign minister requests about $1.3 trillion in reparations for damage incurred by occupying Nazi Germans during World War II.  A Polish official says action should be taken without delay to address the effects of Germany's 1939-45 occupation in a “lasting and complex, legally binding as well as material way.”

ELECTRIC PASSENGER AIRCRAFT TRAVELS EIGHT MINUTES.  Dubbed “Alice,” an electric passenger airplane built by Eviation Aircraft took off from Washington state’s Grant County International Airport and traveled at 3,500 feet for eight minutes.  Eviation said that Alice can last up to one to two hours per charge and can reach a top cruise speed of 287 m.p.h.

To contact Grumpy Editor:  www.GrumpyEditor.com

MORTGAGE RATES JUMP TO HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE 2007

 

Plan on buying a house?  It’s going to be a rough time, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

Mortgage rates ascend to their highest level in more than 15 years.  A survey of lenders shows average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage climbs to 6.7 percent.  That means a boost in monthly payments.

 

It's the highest mortgage rate since July, 2007 and marks the sixth straight week of rising rates.

 

The jump in mortgage rates follows a series of Federal Reserve interest rate increases.

 

The action means many who have been planning to buy houses will remain as renters.

 

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PAYING FOR MEDICARE PART B PREMIUMS DIP.  For the first time in a decade, Americans next year will be paying lower monthly Medicare Part B premiums.  The 3 percent monthly decrease covers routine doctors visits and other outpatient care.

 

SUICIDE RATES RISE.  Suicide rates last year in the U.S. increased 4 percent after declining for two years, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Suicide remains a "major contributor to premature death, especially among people aged 10 to 34, for whom it is the second leading cause of death,” CDC finds.  Suicides last year reached 47,646.

 

DOG IS SPEED DEMON.  Reas, a muscular, 51-pound whippet from Michigan City, Indiana, is America’s No. 1 canine speed demon, covering two runs over a 100-yard grass track at the ABC competition in 5.878 and 5.816 seconds.  Averaging 34.98 miles per hour, gives him the title of 2022 Fastest Dogs USA.   

MEN ALLOWED TO WEAR SKIRTS.  Virgin Atlantic airlines, which already allows male employees to use females' showering facilities, updates its “Gender Identity Policy” to allow men to wear skirts while on the job. Previously, male employees on planes and in airports were required to wear burgundy trousers and blazers, while female staff wore red jackets and skirts.

BOX OFFICE REVENUE EBBS.  After a summer boom, domestic box office revenue last month plummets to a projected $328.7 million — worst showing for the month in a quarter of century, according to Comscore.  Last time it was that low — excluding 2020, during the heart of the COVID-19 crisis — was in September, 1996, with $326.7 million.

 

JPMORGAN CHASE CLOSES SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES.  Safety deposit boxes are being mothballed at JPMorgan Chase & Co.  The bank has stopped opening new safety deposit boxes for customers.

 

U.S. AD SPENDING RISES.  A new forecast indicates the U.S. advertising industry is on track to surpass $300 billion this year in total ad spending for the first time.  It shows nationwide ad revenues are poised to grow 9.8 percent year-over-year in 2022.

FOX RENEWS TMZ.  Fox Television renews TMZ and TMZ Live through the 2024-25 TV season.  Fox acquired TMZ from Warner Bros. in September 2021.

 

To contact Grumpy Editor:  www.GrumpyEditor.com