Grumpy Editor

JULY SETS RECORD AS HOTTEST MONTH ON PLANET

July will be the hottest month ever recorded on the planet, notes Grumpy Editor.

That finding comes from the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization, gathered in partnership with the European Copernicus Climate Change Service.

 

"Climate change is here. It is terrifying, and it is just the beginning,” says U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

 

Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are ultimately the main driver of these rising temperatures, poimts out Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus service. "Extreme weather which has affected many millions of people in July is unfortunately the harsh reality of climate change and a foretaste of the future.”

 

"We are now seeing clearly around the world why it is so urgent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adds Professor Petteri Taalas, head of the WMO, the U.N.'s weather service. He called climate action "not a luxury, but a must.”

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

ECONOMY STRONG IN SECOND QUARTER.  The economy was stronger than expected in the second quarter.  Gross domestic product, broadest measure of economic output, grew by an annualized, seasonally adjusted 2.4 percent rate in the April-through-June period. That was a faster pace than in the first three months of the year and was also above economists’ expectations for a 1.8 percent rate, 

 

BEER MAKER LAYING OFF HUNDREDS.  Anheuser-Busch, maker of the beer Bud Light, is laying off hundreds of corporate positions across the U.S.   The company says it will impact less than two percent of its work force nationwide.

 

NORTH KOREA PARADE MARKS KOREAN WAR.  Marking the truce that halted the Korean War 70 years ago, North Korea held an evening military parade in downtown Pyongyang.  The three-year war technically has not ended since there has been no peace treaty.  About 90 percent of foreign troops that participated in the Korean War were from the U.S.

 

WASHINGTON POST SEES RED INK.  Ten years after The Washington Post was purchased by Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos, the publication is "on a pace to lose about $100 million in 2023," according to a New York Times report.

 

GORILLAS FOOL ZOO KEEPERS.  Zookeepers at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium were surprised with the birth of a baby gorilla.  A gorilla was thought to be male until the gorilla care team discovered it (the mother) holding the baby gorilla.

 

M*A*S*H  ITEMS SOLD.  Combat boots and dog tags actor Alan Alda wore in the TV series M*A*S*H sold at auction for $125,000.  Alda held on to the items for more than 40 years after the show ended.

 

MARINES EXPECT TO MEET RECRUITING GOAL.  While the Army, Navy and Air Force say they expect to fall short of recruiting goals this year, the Marines expect to meet theirs.  While the Marines have a smaller recruiting goal than the Army –-- 33,000 vs. 65,000 –--  they have high standards, refusing to take potential recruits who get low scores on the Armed Services Voluntary Aptitude Battery test. 

CAR THEFTS RISE IN MANY U.S. CITIES

Keep an eye on your unattended car, suggests Grumpy Editor.

Motor vehicle thefts rose 33.5 percent in many large U.S. cities in this year's first half from the same period last year.

 

Kia and Hyundai brands are at the top of the stolen list.

 

On the “brighter" side, homicides dropped 9.4 percent in this year's first half  in 30 top cities.

 

Killings were down 22 percent in Los Angeles, 11 percent in New York and 7 percent in Chicago so far this year, reports The Wall Street Journal.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

MORE ON TONY BENNETT.  Two little-known things in the background of singer Tony Bennett, who died last  week:  In early days he was a copy boy for the Associated Press and at 18 years old was drafted into the Army and saw combat in Germany.

 

AMC ENDS HIGHER CHARGE FOR BETTER SEATS.  After five months, movie theater operator AMC dumps a program that charged more for seats with better sightlines after rival chains did not follow the plan.

 

N.Y. SUBWAY FARES SOON TO RISE.  New York subway fares are set to rise on Aug. 20 to $2.90 a ride, up from $2.75.  MTA says the price increase will “allow us to maintain current service levels and even increase service frequency.”

 

HERO DOG EARNS $2,000 REWARD.  A hero dog receives a $2,000 reward for locating an escaped prison inmate.  Tucker, a chocolate Labrador mix, alerted his owners that the fugitive was hiding in the woods behind their Pennsylvania home.

 

NORTH KOREA FIRES MORE MISSILES.  North Korea continues to be busy with missiles, firing two into the sea Saturday in what appears to be a statement of defiance as the U.S. deployed a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea fopr the first time in decades.

 

RETAIL SALES RISE AS INFLATION COOLS.  With inflation cooling — to its slowest pace in more than two years — Americans spent more in June for the third straight month.  Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted o.2 percent last month from the prior month.

 

 

RATE OF INFLATION COOLS

Inflation has cooled to the slowest pace since 2021, notes Grumpy Editor.

Consumer prices rose three percent in the 12 months through June, the smallest increase since March, 2021, according to Consumer Price Index data.

That reflects milder price gains for many goods, including meat, fish and dairy.

Meanwhile, airline fares fell eight percent, used car price tags ticked down 0.5 percent while new car stickers were flat.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

HOTTEST JUNE FOR EARTH.  Earth experienced its hottest June, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminsitration.  June’s 61.79 degrees global average was 1.89 degrees above the 20th century average.  Behind the increase, say scientists, are greenhouse gas emissions and El Nino.

LESS CONFIDENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.  All major demographic groups are less confident in higher education than they were just a few years ago, according to a Gallup poll.  Experts say it’s a new sign of cratering trust in institutions, and of the culture wars' impact beyond politics.

BELL CANADA DUMPS 1,300 JOBS.  Bell Canada, parent company of CTV News, terminates 1,300 jobs which impact management, production, editorial, operations, sales and marketing, administrative and clerical jobs. 

NORTH KOREA FIRES ANOTHER MISSILE.  North Korea is busy again with missiles, firing its first intercontinental missile in three months after threatening “shocking” consequences to protest what it calls provocative U.S. reconnaissance activity near its territory.

N.Y. TIMES ENDS SPORTS DESK.  The New York Times is dismantling its sports desk and will rely on the Athletic for its daily sports coverage.  The Times acquired The Atlantic website last year for $550 million. Current sports staff is offered other roles in The Times newsroom.

U.S. NAVY SHORT ON SUBMARINES.  Delays at naval shipyards caused by supply-chain issues and not enough workers have put nearly 40 percent of U.S. Navy attack submarines out of commission, according to Congressional Research Service.  The Navy prefers only about 20 percent of submarines be in depot maintenance at any time.

WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE SHIP SOON TO SAIL.  Ready to sail early next year, Icon of the Seas measures 1,198 feet long with 250,800 gross tonnage and is capable of carrying 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.  It contains 20 decks, seven pools and six waterslides.

BACHELORS INTO 40S SNUB MARRIAGE

There are a lot of bachelors into their 40s, notes Grumpy Editor.

U.S. Census Bureau for 2021 finds one fourth of 40 year olds have never been married.

The findings show a “significant increase” from the 20 percent of unmarried 40-year-olds in 2010, according to the study.

Also from the study:  People of that age with at least a bachelor’s degree are less likely to have never walked down the aisle than 40-year-olds who reach fewer educational milestones.

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

WARMEST DAY ON RECORD.  Last Thursday was the planet's warmest day on record.  The planet's temperature soared to a level that scientists say is likely the warmest "going back at least 100,000 years."

EVEN HIGHER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED.  While Earth reached the hottest temperature ever recorded on the 4th of July, even higher temperatures are expected for this full month and August as El Niño strengthens.

MASS SHOOTINGS OVERSHADOW FOURTH EVENTS.  Fourth of July events were overshadowed by 16 mass shootings in the country.  Fifteen people were killed and 94 injured across 13 states as well as Washington, D.C.

GENERAL CALLS FOR FASTER PACE OF MODERNIZING FORCES.  Army Gen.Mark Milley, chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the U.S. military should pick up the pace on modernizing its forces so it will be able to withstand the changing conditions of future battles.  “The battlefield of the future will require rapid and constant movement and the ability to remain small and relatively invisible just to survive,” points out Milley.

FLYING CAR CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.  Alef Aeronautics, a California startup, says its prototype flying car has been cleared for takeoff by the Federal Aviation Administration.  The firm says its "Model A" is the first flying vehicle that can drive on public roads and park like an average car to receive clearance for flight by the FAA.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES PACE OF GROWTH SLOWS.  While electric vehicle sales jumped 50 percent in this year’s first half, the pace of growth slowed while there was a buildup in inventory at dealerships.

 

 

 

 

GRUMPY EDITOR TAKING A BREAK

Grumpy Editor is taking a Fourth of July break, will return July 10.