Grumpy Editor

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.

Post-election stock market rally leaves some red faces

A number of stock market watchers warned about a major drop in the stock market if Donald Trump wins the election, reminds Grumpy Editor.

So what happened?

The Dow Jones industrial average jumps 1424 points in the month since elections on Nov. 8.

The Dow starts today at 19756.85, with only about 243 points more to reach the 20000 level.

Investors placing their funds into companies that will benefit from stronger economic growth and fiscal stimulus fed the month-long rally.

Traders see this week’s meeting of the Federal Reserve, last of the year, to end with an interest rate increase, something that is expected to be received well by financial stocks.

Talk that Trump plans to lower income tax rates, giving consumers more disposable income, coupled with a hike in fiscal spending could continue to give the stock market a boost.

Lower corporate tax rates will lead to higher earnings, lifting stock prices.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

Although anything related to global warming gets heavy coverage these days, unusual cold late last week saw 80 percent of the nation experiencing below-freezing temperatures. Thermometers dropped 20 to 30 degrees below average in the region from Montana to deep in the heart of southern Texas. Also on the “warming” front, CBS News claims “a warming planet could make coffee harder to find.”

With 2017 just around the corner, which are the best cities to welcome the New Year? WalletHub analysts put Orlando in top spot, followed by San Francisco, Atlanta, Denver and Buffalo (Buffalo? Yep). Worst city: North Las Vegas --- and it’s only four miles from The Strip in Las Vegas (ranked No.10 among the top locations)…Tucker Carlson, now with an hour program on Fox News, left his editor-in-chief position at The Daily Caller but will maintain his ownership stake in the publication…Time magazine names president-elect Donald Trump its Person of the Year…Along with footage of orange flames of fires, TV news directors love to report earthquakes --- even though in last week’s 6.5-magnitude shaker, nothing happened. The rocker occurs 97 miles out in the ocean west of Ferndale in Northern California. No reports of damage or injuries. End of story (and forgotten the next day).

What’s going on? After reading that nearly 240,000 tons of blueberries a year are produced in the U.S., with 10 states (Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Georgia, New Jersey, California, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Indiana) accounting for more than 98 percent of the U.S. crop, Grumpy Editor buys two containers of blueberries. Half way through munching them, tiny print (requiring a magnifying glass to read the label) reveals the tiny berries come from --- Lima, Peru.

 

Name of Rebel Yell, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas student newspaper since 1955, next semester will appear as the mouthful The Scarlet & Gray Free Press.

What triggered the change?

Complaints that the 61-year-old masthead reflected a Confederate Army battle cry.

Jeeps to China stemmed from print report, not Romney

In recent days leading up to today’s national election, media (extending to MSNBC this afternoon) and Democrats have been emphasizing Mitt Romney campaign’s “misleading” ads mentioning production of Jeeps --- one of the world’s most famous U.S. vehicles dating back to their debut in World War II --- would move to China, notes Grumpy Editor. 

They cite the ads as the Romney campaign’s efforts to undercut President Barack Obama’s support for the auto industry. 

Jeeps --- produced by Chrysler Group LLC, now majority owned by Italian car manufacturer Fiat --- currently are produced at assembly plants in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio. 

What media are overlooking is that the China rumble started with one of their own --- Bloomberg News.

This afternoon with Martin Bashir's segment on MSNBC, discussion centered on the on-screen headline:  Romney's "Jeep" ad may have backfired with Ohio voters.

An Oct. 22 Bloomberg story reports Fiat “plans to return Jeep output to China and may eventually make all of its models in that country, according to the head of both automakers’ operations in the region.”

It adds,”Fiat is in ‘very detailed conversations’ with its Chinese partner, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., about resuming Jeep production in China.

In pre-Fiat days, some Jeep models were manufactured for distribution in that country.

Three days after the Bloomberg story, Romney, at a Defiance, Ohio, rally on Oct. 25, tells supporters, “I saw a story today that one of the great manufacturers in this state, Jeep, now owned by the Italians, is thinking of moving all production to China.  I will fight for every good job in America, I’m going to fight to make sure trade is fair.” 

Soon after, a Chrysler spokesman declares, “The take has given birth to a number of stories making readers believe that Chrysler plans to shift all Jeep production to China from North America, and therefore idle assembly lines and U.S. workforce.” 

Five days later, Chrysler’s chief executive strongly refutes claims that production of Jeeps would shift to China.

Electronic voting machine problems make rounds again

Grumpy Editor finds it interesting that when a female Las Vegas casino host attempted to vote a second time last week --- during an early voting period --- it made the main front-page headline, with art above the fold, in Saturday’s Las Vegas Review-Journal but no such similar space was given two years earlier when Sen. Harry Reid’s name already was checked off for voters on some electronic machines. 

The Senate majority leader in 2010 was in a close battle with Republican Sharron Angle.  She said she lost because of fraud. 

A 2010 post-election Associated Press story noted, “Reid’s win was a surprise in a race where a succession of polls showed a dead heat and he acknowledged he was in trouble.”  

At midyear 2010, AP pointed out, “Reid appeared headed for defeat as Nevada suffered with the nation’s worst unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates.” 

Electronic voting machines are in the news again this election season. 

The Republican National Committee declares voting machines, again in Nevada, plus Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado, Missouri and Kansas, are flawed and improperly showing votes cast for President Barack Obama when GOP candidate Mitt Romney had been selected. 

That action also brings fresh quotes from Larry Lomax, Clark County (Nev.) voter registrar, in a state where high rates continue in unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy. 

His explanation:  “The machines work just fine.  It is possible for a machine to get out of calibration.  That simply means if you touch somewhere, it may read the touch in a slightly different place.” 

Electronic voting machines move around a lot in the Las Vegas area.  Early voters cast ballots in supermarkets, malls, libraries and trailers in parking lots.  Some voting sites are operational for as little as two days before moving to other locations. 

In 2010 when Reid was up for reelection, Lomax pinned complaints at that time on faulty electronic machine action by seniors, noting, "Especially in a community with elderly citizens (they have) difficulty in (casting their) ballot.” 

This year in Marion, Ohio, for example, voters charge that when Romney’s name was selected on electronic voting machines, Obama’s name lights up. 

“Because of the issue,” says Sophia Rogers, board of elections director for Marion County, “we had that machine recalibrated.” 

Frequent recalibration appears to be necessary with electronic voting machines. 

During early voting, says Lomax in Nevada, electronic machines in Clark County are calibrated every morning and sometimes twice a day. 

In an earlier election, pre-marked electronic ballots appeared in New Jersey.  Most troubling were numerous reports of “vote flipping,” in which voters select a candidate only to see the voting machine record votes for the opposing candidate. 

With the 2010 election that saw Reid returned to the Senate, Washington Examiner writer Mark Hemingway said, “It is worth noting, the voting machine technicians in Clark County are members of the Service Employees International Union.” 

The SEIU is a heavy contributor to Democrats.

Grumpy Editor off this week, returns Oct. 29

Grumpy Editor is taking a break this week. 

Will be back Monday (Oct. 29) in time for Halloween --- and never-ending print/broadcast coverage on the trio of presidential debates leading to the Nov. 6 election.

Surcharge on phone bill boosts ‘ObamaPhones’ usage

Grabbing attention over the past few days, especially on talk radio: coverage of the so-called ObamaPhone, including audio from a video of a happy user, notes Grumpy Editor.

While the regular phone user-funded program --- intended as a landline phone service for low-income Americans --- was created under the George W. Bush administration, it zooms ahead with cell phones in recent months under the Obama administration.

Yet, little is seen in print media about the bargain cell phones being widely dispensed.

Bloomberg News reports the current 12.5 million nationwide accounts via the program compares with 7.1 million four years ago. 

In Ohio, for example, one of the biggest battleground states in this year’s election, the subsidized phone service nearly doubles this year to more than a million people. 

See the video here of a happy Cleveland area cell phone (aka ObamaPhone) user. 

“Keep Obama as president,” the woman proclaims on the video.  “He gave us a phone.” 

The video is drawing attention to the subsidized phone program as a national debate unfolds on entitlements and the growing percentage of Americans who pay no income taxes and get federal benefits. 

And who pays for the service? 

Take a look at your monthly phone bill.  Among the higher “fees, surcharges and taxes” --- the Universal Service Fund surcharge goes toward footing the bill on "ObamaPhones." 

The number of people eligible for the Lifeline service is estimated at between 20 million and 30 million, according to Universal Service Administrative Co., that administers the program.

 

 

 

 

Leno, Obama vie for most appearances in Las Vegas

With another campaign rally in Las Vegas on Sunday, President Barack Obama seems to be competing with Tonight Show host Jay Leno in the number of visits a year to Sin City, notes Grumpy Editor.

Obama, recognizing Nevada as a key battleground state in the upcoming election, returns to the casino-studded neon capital over the weekend, on the heels of another visit just 18 days earlier.

It marks the president’s eighth visit to Las Vegas and ninth trip to Nevada this year.

Obama is esxpected to stay three nights in the Las Vegas area before heading to Denver for an Oct. 3 presidential debate with Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

Jay Leno, meanwhile, reappears for his stand-up routine in Las Vegas Oct. 12 and 13 --- with six more appearances scheduled on The Strip through next Sept. 20.

The difference between Leno and the president, however, is that Leno encourages folks to visit Sin City.

Obama is remembered for taking two negative blasts at Las Vegas.

In February, 2009, one was directed at business meetings when the president declared, “You can’t take a trip to Las Vegas or down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers dime.”

A year later, the president followed that with, “You don’t blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you’re trying to save for college.”

Las Vegas’ economy then turned south, triggering pink slips to thousands of casino industry workers, knocking out construction, and sending the area’s unemployment and home foreclosure rates soaring to the nation’s highest. 

London paper: U.S. warned 3 days prior to Libya attack

Shoving aside new information on the Libya deadly riots, media --- TV and especially MSNBC --- dwelled on a four-month old “hidden video” suddenly surfacing yesterday showing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney with off-the-cuff remarks on President Barack Obama’s base, notes Grumpy Editor.

That overshadowed the new revelation, via London’s The Independent, that Libyan security officials warned U.S. diplomats three days before the Sept. 11 murders of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three members of his team in a Benghazi attack. 

Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., with appearances on four Sunday talk shows and beyond, has maintained the deaths of U.S. personnel were triggered by a 12-minute anti-Islam video rather than pre-planned. 

(No one questioned her on how most of the thousands of protesters, living way below the poverty line, could afford access to the Internet and computers to view the video.)  

The Independent pointed out the advance warning came as Libya’s interim president, Mohammed el-Megarif, said his government had information that the attack on the U.S. consulate was “planned by an Islamist group with links to al-Qa'ida and with foreigners taking part.”

Furthermore, the London daily reported diplomatic sources said threat of an attack against U.S. interests in the region was known to the Obama administration 48 hours before it took place. 

The alert, it added, was issued by the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, but not made public. 

In contrast, The Independent also reported a State Department spokesman maintained, "We are not aware of any actionable intelligence indicating that an attack on the U.S. Mission in Benghazi was planned or imminent."

No sooner back in D.C., lawmakers eager to leave town

As soon as Congress returned from a five-week recess on Monday, Capitol Hill talk immediately turned to taking more time off, starting with senators on Friday, finds Grumpy Editor. 

Such action --- or inaction --- underscores why taxpayers give the lawmakers a record-low approval rating. 

Senators are the most eager to get more free time, some to campaign in their home states, and return after the Nov. 6 elections.  Party leaders would like to depart again on Friday, says Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), majority whip. 

However, senators face action on a six-month stopgap measure to keep the federal government operating after Oct. 1. 

Also eager to finish business early is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.). 

But he is not giving a target date, although “the word is out” (as Reid likes to say), that Senate offices have been alerted unofficially that they would recess at the end of this week. 

The House is scheduled to leave for recess at the end of next week and return for a few more days in October. 

Some lawmakers want Congress to stay in session to finalize action on a multiyear farm bill.  

Members of Congress “need to show they’re doing their job,” says Ross K. Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University. 

An August Gallup poll finds only one in 10 Americans approves the work Congress is doing.  That record low compares with 84 percent in 2002.

DNC convention chairman ‘crashes’ GOP party in Tampa

Other than a few media folks and some CNN viewers, most people are unaware that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, chairman of the 2012 Democratic National Convention next week in Charlotte, N.C. and prominent cheerleader for President Barack Obama, is on scene this week at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, notices Grumpy Editor. 

Perhaps he’s busy scribbling notes after “crashing” the GOP party in Florida. 

Main reason for Democrat Villaraigosa being on scene, mingling with Republicans and journalists:  every morning of the RNC gathering, he’s on CNN with Soledad O’Brien in a role described as being the “Democratic counterpoint to the Republican convention.” 

The CNN placement in Tampa gives Villaraigosa an opportunity to compare the Romney-Ryan GOP ticket to President Obama’s campaign and record, as he did on Monday. 

The unusual exposure of the 41^st mayor of Los Angeles --- in an arena loaded with Republicans --- is an early move leading to what some feel could be a presidential bid in 2016. 

Villaraigosa, in addition to his morning stint, in a separate CNN interview yesterday, declares: 

“I think when it's all said and done that President Obama is going to get somewhere close to 70 percent of the Latino vote. I think he is because the Republican party and Mitt Romney have gone so far to the right on issues that are important to them. And it's not just immigration where he's talked about the self-deportation of 11 million people and called the dream act a handout. It's also health care. Nine million Latinos will benefit from the Affordable Care Act. It's also the cuts to education that will come with the Romney-Ryan plan.” 

And this message was delivered ”live” from the Republican National Convention.