Grumpy Editor

U.S. MILITARY FAILS TO GET FUNDS FOR A NEEDED BOOST

Grumpy Editor notes a Wall Street Journal piece focusing on “America’s Declining Military.”

In citing the Pentagon is seeking $773 billion for fiscal 2023, the Journal points out, "the 298-ship Navy would buy only nine ships next year while retiring 24.  The fleet would shrink to 280 ships in 2027, even as the Navy says it needs a fleet of 500 to defeat China in a conflict.”

As for the Army, the Journal mentions it is seeking $177.5 billion, "barely up from $174.7 billion last year and a cut after inflation,” adding “end strength would fall to 473,000 from the 485,000 authorized last year. The Army shrugs because it hasn’t been able to fill all its spots in a hot labor market.  This may relieve a recruiting headache for some general, but it won’t reduce the threats the Army may have to address in multiple theaters."

Turning to the Air Force, the Journal says it "is now the smallest, oldest and least ready it has ever been in its 75-year history...but the Pentagon plans to cut its buy of F-35 fighter jets this year." 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

NUMBER OF MEDIA WORKERS DECLINES.  There were 39,080 news analysts, reporters and journalists employed in the U.S. in May, 2021. This is down from 41,580 in the prior May and 44,100 in May, 2019, with average annual wage of $63,230 in May 2021, down from $66,000 the year prior.    

 

MORTGAGE LOAN RATE RISES.  Mortgage giant Freddie Mac says average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage loan rises to 4.67 percent, highest since December, 2018.

 

SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA HIT SEAFOOD.  New rounds of economic sanctions on Russia make key seafood species such  as cod and crab harder to come by, along with alcohol and diamonds.  

 

NIELSEN BEING ACQUIRED.  Nielsen, the New York-based media measurement company with annual global revenue of about $3.5 million, is being acquired for $16 billion, including debt.  Data collected by Nielsen is a major factor in determining where billions in advertising dollars are spent each year.

 

L.A. BANS NEW OIL WELLS.  The Los Angeles City Council votes unanimously to ban new oil wells and phase out existing ones, a move leaders in the nation's second-most populous city call essential for health reasons.  A city commission will study how to phase out more than 5,200 existing oil and gas wells.

 

BLACK NEWS CHANNEL CLOSES.  The Black News Channel, first all-day news network aimed at African Americans, closes a little more than two years after it went live.

 

COIN MYSTERY.  Quarters, nickels, dimes and pennies are in short supply again.  While some will call it the great coin shortage of 2022, America is facing a coin circulation problem.

 

MEDIA OVERLOOKS 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD WAR II DOOLITTLE RAID

 

 

Media usually like to recycle anniversaries but somehow overlooked the 80th anniversary of the famous Doolittle raid during World War II, observes Grumpy Editor.

 

Planned and led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle (who later became a general) on April 18, 1942, 16 B-25B Mitchell medium bombers, each with a crew of five, took off without fighter escort  from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Hornet off Japan to hit Tokyo and other places on Honshu.

 

It demostrated that the Japanese mainland was vulnerable to U.S. air attacks and boosted morale of Americans.

 

After bombing military and industrial targets in Japan, the plan was to continue westward and land in China.  But some aircraft ran out of fuel and crash landed on the way.

 

The action was portrayed in the well-received 1943 movie, “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” starring Spencer Tracy as Doolittle.

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

 

FEW JOURNALISTS WORE MILITARY UNIFORMS.  Few U.S. journalists are military veterans.  Only two percent of media workers are veterans, according to a Census data analysis from Military Vets in Journalism. 

 

BIDEN TO ATTEND D.C. WRITERS ANNUAL DINNER.  President Joe Biden plans to attend the White House Correspondents Association's annual dinner on Saturday, the first time a sitting president will be at the event since Barack Obama in 2016.

 

WORLD'S OLDEST CANINE SETS RECORD.  The world's oldest living dog, a chihuahua named TobyKeith, breaks a Guinness World record --- passing 21 years and 66 days.  He was adopted from a shelter in Florida.

 

ALL FEMALE NEWS STAFF --- IN SOMALIA.  Led by one of the few female senior news producers in Somalia, a team of six women will produce content for TV, radio and online media on issues such as gender-based violence, women in politics and female entrepreneurs.

 

BURGLARS HIT HIGH-END L.A. HOMES.  A number of homes in upscale Los Angeles areas are being burglarized.  A Hollywood Hills home is hit while the homeowner is hiding in the bathroom.  Police are investigating since the action is captured on security cameras.

 

DENTAL PATIENT INHALES DRILL BIT.  While at his dentist, an Illinois man inhaled a one-inch drill bit, sending it deep into his lung.  He had to go to a hospital to have it removed.

CAR HITS MOUNTAIN LION ON FREEWAY.  A mountain lion was struck and killed on the 405 Freeway near Brentwood in the Los Angeles area.  The animal died just one day before the groundbreaking of a wildlife bridge designed to provide safe passage for animals hemmed in by urban sprawl.

MILITARY RECRUITING BECOMES DIFFICULT JOB

 

The U.S. is finding recruiting for the military is getting to be a tough job, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

“Due to attrition and retirement, the military needs to find more than 150,000 new recruits every year to meet its overall 'end strength' goal," reports Bloomberg.

“In 2020, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines all hit their annual recruitment goals --- but those figures were distorted by a historically weak job market, as active-duty service members delayed plans to re-enter the civilian sector, reducing the need for new hires,” continues Bloomberg.  “Last year’s target of 61,200 new Army enlistees, for instance, was 20 percent lower than in 2018, when the Army failed to meet its goal.”

Bloomberg points out “this limited supply compromises national security,” adding, “recruits tend to be drawn from a shrinking segment of the population --- from a small number of mostly southern states and families of veterans, a group whose share of the population is lower than at any time since World War II.”

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS MAY SEE BIG BOOST.  For the 69 million Americans who collect Social Security, estimates project they're on track to get a 6.1 percent cost-of-living adjustment, the biggest increase since 1983.  Official figures are announced in the fall.

FLOODS HIT GERMANY, WESTERN EUROPE.  While parts of the U.S. cope with a long dry spell, worst flooding in decades hits Germany, Belgium and other parts of Western Europe following days of heavy rain that swelled rivers. 

U.S. OVERDOSE DEATHS SOAR.  Overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adding it eclipses the high of about 72,000 drug overdose deaths reached the previous year.

VENICE NIXES LARGE CRUISE LINERS.  Declaring Venice waterways a “national monument,” Italy is banning mammoth cruise liners from sailing into the lagoon city.

 

NUMBER OF CRUISE SHIPS TO JUMP.  Shipbuilders are busy.  More than 70 cruise ships are scheduled to debut between now and 2027.

 

FRENCH FRIES AT $200 A PLATE.  Serendipity3, a restaurant on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, creates the world's most expensive French fries to coincide with National French Fry Day:  $200 a plate..

ANOTHER MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE FOUND.   A 9-year-old girl visiting a Hawaii park with her family finds a message --- in English, Spanish and Japanese --- inside a mud-caked glass bottle that was launched from Japan 37 years ago.

BRAZIL DROUGHT LEADS TO HIGHER COFFEE PRICES.  A drought in Brazil coupled with an increase in demand for coffee as the world reopens after the coronavirus pandemic leads to higher coffee prices on grocers shelves.

 

$915,000 FOR ELTON JOHN'S PIANO.  Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay adds to his vast music collection in buying at auction Elton John's Steinway & Sons Model D Grand Piano for $915,000.  It was used on tours from 1974 to 1993.

REAL CHRISTMAS TREES ARE POPULAR THIS YEAR

Demand is up for real Christmas trees this year, observes Grumpy Editor.

Wholesale tree farmers and others report strong demand for fresh-cut evergreens.

Tree sellers say they are seeing more people and earlier than in recent years.

With bigger demand, big box stores are seeking fresh trees earlier this year from places such as Oregon and North Carolina.

Pushing the trend, Walmart is offering free home delivery of the real trees.

More Americans are staying home for the holidays amid pandemic restrictions and are realizing that for the first time in years — or maybe ever — they will be home to water a fresh-cut tree, reports Associated Press.

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

ROBOT DOGS PATROL MILITARY BASE.  Security forces at the 29,000-acre Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida are using robot dogs for patrolling the installation, a first for mechanized pooches. The computerized canines can be programmed to patrol areas that aren’t desirable for humans and vehicles.

YOUR NEW FRIENDLY BANK.  General Motors’ lending arm is planning to apply for a banking charter that would allow it to accept deposits and expand its auto-finance business.

TONING IT DOWN.  Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, sees any future negotiations with President-elect Joe Biden, potentially more difficult than with President Donald Trump. 

POISON GAS, FIRING SQUADS RETURN. The Justice Department, in amending execution protocols starting Dec. 24, no longer will require death sentences to be carried out by lethal injection, clearing the way for other methods such as poison gas and firing squads.

CHER VISITS LONELY ELEPHANT IN PAKISTAN.  Singer-actress Cher visits Pakistan to mark the departure of Kaavan, dubbed the “world’s loneliest elephant,” that will soon leave a Pakistani zoo for better conditions. Kaavan’s destination is a sanctuary in Cambodia .  The move follows years of lobbying by animal rights groups and activists.

NOT ENOUGH VANS WITH DELIVERY RUSH.  FedEx and United Parcel Service are running into a shortage of delivery vans, prompting a surprise cost squeeze that’s cutting into profits during a record surge in package volumes.

MILITARY CEMETERY CLOSES FOR WREATHS.  Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, will close to the public from Dec. 13 to 19 to allow Christmas wreaths to be placed at 267,000 graves.  The wreaths will be placed as part of the Wreaths Across America event.

BRITISH ARMY DOG GETS TOP AWARD.  A retired British army working dog — named Kuno, a Belgian Malinois — that suffered life-changing injuries while supporting the British special forces fighting Al Qaeda is awarded the Dickin Medal – the highest award an animal can receive within the British military. The award is equivalent to the U.S.’s Medal of Honor.

U.S. SPACE FORCE, HAILED AS ‘NEWLY CREATED,’ DEBUTED LATE LAST YEAR

 

A news story over the weekend shows the flag of the “newly created” U.S. Space Force being presented by military leaders to President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.  However, Grumpy Editor notes the new Space Force debuted without much fanfare late last year — on Dec. 20.

 

The Space Force is organized as a military service branch within the Department of the Air Force, one of the three military departments within the Defense Department.  The Space Force, through the Department of the Air Force, is headed by the Secretary of the Air Force who reports to the Secretary of Defense.  

 

The Space Force flag of the newly created armed service will hang alongside those of the other military services at the White House.

 

Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper says the creation of the Space Force is necessary because adversaries have "weaponized” space.  "The United States is now doing what it needs to do to protect our assets in space and ensure that space remains the heavens by which we not only protect America, but we sustain our economy, we sustain our commercial capabilities, we sustain Americans' way of life,” adds Esper.

 

Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, points out space is critical to the United States. "If we are going to sustain our way of life, and we're going to defend our nation, then we're going to have to defend ourselves in space,” he declares.

 

Gen. John W. (Jay) Raymond, commander of the U.S. Space Command and the nation's first chief of space operations, thanked the president for his support of the 16,000 space professionals assigned to the Space Force and noted "those men and women come to work every day focusing on providing space capabilities for our nation for joint coalition forces and for the world. 

 

Raymond tells the president:  "We're proud of this flag. We're proud to have an opportunity to present it to you here for display in the White House.”

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

 

USS NEVADA WRECK FOUND.  Searchers find the wreck of USS Nevada, the World War II battleship that endured bombs and torpedoes, almost three miles underwater about 65 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu.

 

WASHINGTON POST'S OFFICES CLOSED.  Affected by the coronavirus, safeguarding health of its employees, the Washington Post‘s offices will remain closed until after Labor Day.  Workers were sent home on March 11.  When the workforce returns, there will be social distancing, temperature checks, protective wear and testing.

 

WSJ MAGAZINE SKIPS AUGUST.  Latest print publication adjusting summer plans due to the coronavirus, the WSJ Magazine, a monthly publication from The Wall Street Journal, will skip the August issue this summer.

 

NINTENDO SEES PROFIT JUMP.  Japan-based video game giant Nintendo, founded in 1889 as a playing-card company and later producer of household games, announces a profit jump amid the pandemic from an increase in people staying home seeking things to do.

 

J.C. PENNEY FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY.  Department store chain J.C. Penney, founded by James Cash Penney in 1902, files for bankruptcy, punctuating declining sales and failed turnaround plans.

 

NYSE TRADING FLOOR TO REOPEN.  Closed since March 23 after several employees tested positive for the coronavirus resulted in all trading going to an electronic platform, the New York Stock Exchange reopens its trading floor on May 26, the day after Memorial Day, with limitations.

 

CONDE NAST REDUCES STAFF.  Reflecting the impact of the pandemic, Conde Nast, publisher of the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Wired and others, will lay off about 100 staffers in the U.S. and furlough another 100.

 

PAJAMA SALES JUMP.  With more people working from home, pajama sales are soaring while pants sales are about stopped.  Grocery sales also are getting a boost.

 

REMOVAL OF HOTEL'S TWO TOP FLOORS SOUGHT.  In Athens, Greece, builders of a 10-story hotel near the Acropolis have been ordered to remove its top two floors after locals united in a campaign against the structure because its height obstructed the view of the historic site.

 

BROADWAY SHOWS DARK THROUGH LABOR DAY.  New York’s Broadway shows are canceled through Labor Day.  Return date remains unknown.

 

WALMART GIVES MORE BONUS PAYOUTS.  Following similar bonus payments in April, Walmart is giving staffers working during the pandemic a second round of bonuses — $300 for full-time workers and $150 for part-timers.

 

RESTORED WORLD WAR II HISTORIC C-47 READIES FOR D-DAY CEREMONIES

 

WORLD WAR II C-47

 

A great sight few newspaper readers/TV viewers saw:  A vintage World War II aircraft flying over New York's Statue of Liberty the other day on the way to D-Day ceremonies next month, observes Grumpy Editor.

The restored C-47 troop carrier was discovered parked in a Wisconsin boneyard, in poor shape, but the Commemorative Air Force in Texas raised $250,000 to purchase and restore the plane, identified as That's All, Brother.

The twin-engine aircraft was identified as the one that led the main D-Day invasion in the air.

The aircraft returned to Europe following the same route it flew to reach Normandy, France in 1944 --- via Canada, Greenland and Iceland.

To commemorate D-Day, the C-47 will take off from England and fly over Normandy to commemorate D-Day 75th anniversary ceremonies on June 6.

On that day in 1944, more than 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of heavily-fortified French coastline, to fight Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy.  More than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the D-Day Allied invasion.

That's All, Brother dropped off paratroopers.

Some of those military veterans, now in their 90s, will be on the ground observing the distinguished warplane's flyover.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

CITY FROWNS ON LARGE U.S. FLAG.  Flags are out in force today, Memorial Day.  But in Statesville, N.C. there’s a controversy over a large American flag flying over Camping World.  The city has filed a lawsuit seeking removal of the flag, fining the company $50 a day going back to Oct. 15, 2018.  Many in the city are backing Camping World.

CHINESE REPORTERS RAISE EYEBROWS.  Germany’s military is investigating what information three Chinese reporters collected while Chancellor Angela Merkel visits a NATO unit.  The Xinhua reporters trigger suspicion by filming military equipment and interviewing soldiers about daily routines.

LAYOFFS IN MULTIPLE NEWSROOMS.   Newspaper giant GateHouse Media is making additional cuts in its U.S. newsrooms, following layoffs in January and February.  The action affects 45 local newsrooms in Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, California and Massachusetts. 

ONE DOG ENTERS CAR, EIGHT LEAVE.  A pregnant dog with a broken leg, left at a kill shelter in Georgia, is rescued by Rebecca Lynch, president of Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida.  She and her husband pick up the dog, noting the canine “very pregnant, afraid and confused.”  On route home, the rescued dog gives birth to seven pups in the back seat.  All is well.

 

BURGER KING PLANS AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION IN CHINA.  Despite trade tensions betwen the U.S. and China, Burger King plans to open 1,000 franchised outlets there over the next three years.  It follows 1,000 openings in China 13 years after it entered the country.

 

DOGS WATCH MOVIES, TOO.  Attracting attention is K9 Cinemas in Plano, Texas  allowing theatergoers to bring their dogs to watch movies, too.  Their masters get tickets that come with all the wine they can drink.

 

POLICE CHIEF RESIGNATION SOUGHT.  The San Francisco Police Officers’ Association calls for San Francisco’s police chief to resign after the chief apologized Friday for raiding the home of journalist Bryan Carmody, seeking to identify a confidential source.

Obama: Women in combat positions boost U.S. military

Many news editors around the country, more concerned with Hillary-Trump doings, missed some comments by President Barack Obama Thursday to graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy where he declared the U.S. military is stronger because women can now serve in all combat positions and because the U.S. is closing the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, observed Grumpy Editor.

His remarks, which undoubtedly caused some generals to squirm, were caught by Melanie Hunter at CNSNews.com who noted the president also declared, “We live our values when our military like America itself truly welcomes the talents of all people. We’re stronger when our gay and lesbian cadets and troops can serve their country.”

Hunter added, “Obama recited the names of several Muslim-American cadets, saying America is ‘stronger’ when cadets like these ‘know that we celebrate their service as proud patriotic Muslim-Americans who are so serving in our armed forces.’ ”


She mentioned Obama concluded with, “We can never know what the future holds, but in the not-so-distant future when I’m no longer president, I will sleep well at night, because I know that men and women like you serve to keep us free.”

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

Today marks the 72nd anniversary of D-Day that saw an invasion force --- a heavily-guarded secret with no leaks by media, as would happen today --- of more than 6,000 ships that stormed beaches of Normandy, France.  The World War II action involved nearly two million soldiers, sailors and airmen.  See if your local newspaper noted the anniversary...Friday’s May jobs report showed only 38,000 new positions, less than one-quarter of the jobs anticipated. The number fell more than 100,000 short of expectations. Again, with media focused on Hillary-Trump, this negative-on-the economy news was mostly overlooked...Hidden or missed in weekend reports:  President Obama shortened the jail time of 42 drug offenders, half of them serving life terms...A poll of Fortune 500 CEOs found the top three challenges facing companies are increased regulation, technological changes and cybersecurity...Amazon placed Seattle at the top of its list of most well-read cities determined by purchases of books, magazines and newspapers.  Others in the top 10: Portland, Ore.; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco, Calif.; Austin, Texas; Las Vegas, Nev.; Tucson, Ariz.; Denver, Colo.; Albuquerque, N.M., and San Diego, Calif…The Bellevue (Ohio) Gazette, founded in October, 1867, published its final edition on Wednesday...In the huh? department: A June 2 editorial in the San Diego Union-Tribune urged Republican readers to write-in President Ronald Reagan instead of voting for Donald Trump in tomorrow's California GOP primary...Lee Ann Colacioppo was named editor of the Denver Post. It marks the first time in the paper’s nearly 124-year history that a woman will lead the newsroom.

Want to know where your taxpayer dollars go?

The government spent more than $1 million to study whether cheerleaders appear more attractive when they are grouped together in a squad, the Washington Times noted.

Top generals reveal military ranks, budget below par

Not getting much media coverage during the week was Capitol Hill testimony on the state of the U.S. military with the Army’s top general declaring ground forces face a high level of risk if there is a major conflict with countries such as China or Russia, notes Grumpy Editor.

Years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, constrained budgets and troop cuts have had a cumulative effect on U.S. military forces, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley tells a House budget hearing.

Milley, 39^th Army chief of staff, describes as a "great power war" against one or two of four countries --- China, Russia, Iran, North Korea --- would pose greater challenges for the U.S.

The four-star general reveals the Army's readiness is not at a level appropriate for what Americans expect to defend them.

Gen. Robert Neller, Marine commandant, joined Milley in informing lawmakers that upticks in military mishaps are affected by funding shortfalls that have led to less training, citing the crash of two Marine helicopters in Hawaii in January that killed 12.

“We track this very closely and the simple fact is that we don’t have enough airplanes to meet the training requirements for the entire force,” reveals Neller.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

Look for a major reduction of news out of Washington for the next two weeks. Lawmakers are on a two-week recess…Most media now identify the GOP presidential front-runner as “businessman Donald Trump,” rather than far out and flowery earlier descriptions. Interesting, too, is that when Trump addresses rallies now, TV news channels air about one or two minutes of his speech, then spotlight protesters (mostly away from the rallies), often with a split screen with no Trump audio.  Meanwhile, figuring it had a "scoop," CNN this morning featured a lengthy interview with a key protester who distrupted a Trump event in Arizona…It may not make front pages around the nation, but Wednesday is National Puppy Day to inspire canine-lovers to pick up a pooch…Just about every drug commercial on TV urges viewers to “ask your doctor.” Ever try to reach your doctor these days? It’s virtually impossible. Seems advertising agency copy writers --- apparently in fine health --- are unaware of the current situation with overworked medics. Equally difficult: obtaining doctors e-mail addresses…CBS Corp. is considering exiting the radio business, once a steady contributor to the broadcaster’s bottom line…Citing lessened competition, the Department of Justice files a lawsuit aimed at blocking Tribune Publishing, Chicago, which owns the Los Angeles Times, from acquiring newspapers in nearby Orange and Riverside Counties. Tribune has been eyeing Freedom Communications which publishes the Orange County Register and the Press-Enterprise in Riverside County…How big is the adult coloring book craze? Sales of such books for grownups, who are reading newspapers less, shot up to about 12 million last year from one million in 2014…The Washington Times reports: “Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton said Thursday that the southwest border is secure enough that the government should now turn its attention to trying to legalize illegal immigrants.”  (Maybe she has missed TV footage and newspaper accounts of surging illegal border crossings.)

 

Unheard of in earlier years:

Quarter-page ads running in a western newspaper tout medical marijuana with a “one day sale.”

Mrs. Obama, daughters gear up for Japan, Cambodia trip

 

While President Barack Obama stays behind, wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha are quietly scheduled for another trip to the Far East next week, finds Grumpy Editor.

The First Lady and teenage daughters are taking a spring break trip to Japan, March 18 to 20, and Cambodia, March 21 and 22.  

Going overseas is an annual ritual.

Last March, Mrs. Obama, her mother and the girls visited China.  Earlier trips took the First Lady and daughters to Ireland, Germany and South Africa.

The likely aircraft that will be used in the upcoming trip is a C-32A, a specially configured military version of the Boeing 757-200 extended range aircraft, that usually provides transportation for the nation’s leaders.

(A typical 757-200 accommodates between 178 and 214 passengers.)

In the past, the Obama daughters were listed as “senior staff.”

Others on board, aside from regular staffers, have included Mrs. Obama's mother, Marian Robinson; niece and nephew, Leslie and Avery Robinson, along with the First Lady’s makeup and hair stylist.

 

FYI, IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE EDITORS MISSED THESE…

Tired of this reasoning from Wall Street?  Stocks tumbled 278.94 to 17856.78 on Friday, with media again reporting --- as investors brace for higher interest rates…Poof!  An older weather satellite --- technically known as Meteorological Satellite Program Flight 13, DMSP-F13 --- used by the U.S. military, encountered some problems, causing it to lose altitude and disintegrate into 43 pieces…Time magazine marked its 92^nd year on March 3…After Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to a joint meeting of Congress, House Speaker John Boehner gifted the Israeli prime minister with a bust of Winston Churchill because Netanyahu and Churchill were the only foreign leaders who addressed Congress three times.  Presentation of a Churchill bust may also carry a subtext --- President Obama’s return of a Churchill bust from the White House to the British Embassy shortly after he took office…The Wall Street Journal hired a “financial enforcement correspondent.”  Sounds sinister. But Chris Roush, senior associate dean at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication explained it: “It is a person who covers federal government agencies that regulate businesses”…While the U.S. reduces its military ranks and equipment, China, home to the world's largest standing military, will increase its military budget by about 10 percent this year…A Columbia Journalism Review study found the current White House-press relationship is the least open in history…Contrasting headlines.  From the Las Vegas Review-Journal March 5 (based on information from California research firm RealtyTrac):  With rising foreclosures, it’s not looking good for Nevada homeowners.  Meanwhile, from Las Vegas TV station KLAV, same day (with input from California real estate analytics company CoreLogic):  Las Vegas foreclosure rate continues to fall.

 

Power of the press.

President Obama said he learned about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email account only after "reading news reports."

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Proposed plan to shrink military, benefits raises eyebrows

While media covered, sometimes briefly on TV/radio news, the administration’s proposed reduction in Army troops from the current 520,000 to between 440,000 and 450,000 --- putting them back to the pre-World War II level --- other cuts were not widely emphasized or even mentioned, notes Grumpy Editor.  

Among eyebrow-raising other items, with the Pentagon’s blessing:

✔ Reducing the Army’s helicopter fleet by one fourth. 

✔ Retiring all of the Air Force’s A-10 Warthog ground attack jets. 

✔ Placing a limit on military pay raises. 

✔ Cutting subsidies for military commissaries that lead to discounted goods for families of those in uniform. 

✔ Hiking military families’ health-care fees on some non-urgent care. 

✔ Putting new limits on troops’ housing allowance increases. 

✔ Closing additional military bases. 

In addition, overlooked at a time when drug smugglers are increasingly turning to the high seas, a 25 percent reduction of operating costs has hit the Coast Guard, sole U.S. military service able to make drug arrests hundreds of miles offshore in international waters. 

AIR FORCE ONE OPERATING COSTS JUMP

Meanwhile, an unaffected military aircraft --- Air Force One, the Boeing 747 that shuttles the president and his entourage --- will see increased flight time in coming weeks as its operating costs per hour have jumped to $228,288 from $179,750 two years ago.  Additional costs stem from supporting aircraft on each presidential trip.

Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank tallied that after a Mexico visit last month, President Obama this month was slated to fly to the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Saudi Arabia, followed next month by visits to Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and the Philippines.  In addition, noted Milbank, the president “has committed to doing at least 18 fundraisers this year.”

Also on the move this month will be Michelle Obama flying --- without the president --- to China for a week-long visit, March 19 to 26. She will be accompanied by daughters, Malia and Sasha, and her mother, Marian Robinson.  

 

In case you missed these…

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS…BUT.  No sooner did a whopping up to nine inches of rain from two storms get dumped on parched California over the past few days when the word BUT appeared (usually followed by “not enough") leading off the next sentence in news stories.  Or, as the second paragraph of an Associated Press story put it:  “It didn’t put a major dent in a drought.” 

 

PALIN ON TARGET WITH UKRAINE SIX YEARS AGO.  When she was a Republican vice presidential nominee, Sarah Palin told a Reno audience on Oct. 20, 2008:  "After the Russian army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence – the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next.” 

 

TURNING THE TABLES.  Actor Alec Baldwin, not noted for warm relations with the media, plays a newspaperman on NBC’s "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” that airs March 19.

 

LOOKS LIKE MORE BUSINESS AHEAD FOR GOLDEN STATE LAWYERS.  A record 1,590 California prisoners with life sentences have gone free over the past three years, with approval from Gov. Jerry Brown.  More than 80 percent of lifers go behind bars for murder, while the rest are mostly rapists and kidnappers.  Some people worry that parolees could pose a danger to the public and crime victims involved in their cases.

 

A NEW VIEW OF NEW YORK CITY.  News Corp. chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch paid $57.25 million for the top four floors of a new 60-unit tower in Manhattan.  The four floors total 10,160 square feet.  The penthouse alone has five bedrooms and five and a half baths.

 

An autographed two-volume set of Adolf Hitler's Nazi treatise Mein Kampf, from 1925 and 1926, was purchased for almost $65,000 by an unnamed buyer at a Los Angeles auction.

Another whodunit: Who gave okay for illegals release?

Imagine, more than 5,ooo jailed illegal aliens are being released --- after the Obama administration announced only “a few hundred” were being freed because of sequestration, notes Grumpy Editor.

What is interesting, and worthy of further investigation, is that both the White House and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano deny any involvment with the illegals being turned loose.

Those released are required to appear at later court hearings (if they can be found).

Alicia A. Caldwell, Associated Press writer, did some digging and finds Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “released roughly 1,000 illegal immigrants from jails around the United States each week since at least Feb. 15” and 3,000 more are set for release this month.

 

Sequestration also grounds Thunderbirds

Not too much has been reported by national media about sequestration being blamed for clipping the wings of the Air Force's Thunderbirds, the aerial demostration team that flies six F-16s at air shows in the U.S. and around the world. 

 

The Thunderbirds' last performances before the team's grounding will be in Titusville, Fla., March 23 and 24.

Seems strange to cancel the Thunderbirds precision aerial exhibitions that thrill young and old folks plus all in between, boosts interest in flying and is simply patriotic.

 

Something for TV, film producers to consider 

With television and motion picture producers always seeking nifty stories, one they should consider (but without the now overused multi-car crashes or shootouts aimed at attracting 21-to-35 year olds), would include true World War II action and survival:

The story would follow a navigator on a B-25 aircraft, part of the Doolittle Raid to bomb Tokyo just a little over four months after the Dec. 7, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Bombers in the daring raid took off from an aircraft carrier, a very unusual "runway" for large aircraft at the time. 

After the effective April 18, 1942 bombing run (and U.S. morale booster), the navigator's B-25, as with others, lacked fuel to reach safe territory.  Some made forced landings, others crashed.

The navigator had to bail out, parachuted into a tree but managed to elude Japanese capture.

He returned to action in bombing runs on the other side of the world in North Africa but was shot down in 1943 which led to spending two years in a German prison camp.

The navigator, Major Thomas C. Griffin, who later lived in the Cincinnati area, died Tuesday at 96, leaving only four surviving Doolittle Raid members out of the original 80.

Services will be held Saturday --- with a planned B-25 flyover, hopefully with coverage by national TV and print media.

 

In case you missed these:

Wrong number:  Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.), with 22 years in the House and ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, faced print and TV media to declare (a highly inflated) “over 170 million jobs” could be lost because of federal spending cuts…Chicago-based Tribune Co. is exploring the sale of its eight newspapers that include the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Baltimore Sun and Orlando Sentinel…The New York Times Co. plans to drop the name of its 125-year-old International Herald Tribune, distributed in more than 160 countries and territories, and rechristening it this autumn as the International New York Times…This just in:  The Washington Post reported an asteroid hit near Decorah, Iowa --- about 470 million years ago…Warren Buffet acquires his 28^th daily newspaper, the Tulsa World, second largest newspaper in Oklahoma…Variety will discontinue its daily entertainment print publication March 18 but has launched Variety.com providing free access to breaking news and analysis…Arnold Schwarzenegger, former California governor and noted for action roles in films, returns to being executive editor of Muscle & Fitness and Flex magazines.