Grumpy Editor

NEW WORD APPEARS IN WEATHER STORIES

A new word — graupel — worked into weather stories during the past week, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

It’s a German word referring to soft hail or snow pellets.

 

It forms when supercooled water droplets in the air freeze on falling snowflakes.

 

Graupel is distinct from hail and  ice pellets in both formation and appearance. However, both hail and graupel are common in thunderstorms with cumulonimbus clouds.

 

Got that?

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

WOMAN SLATED TO BECOME ONE-STAR ADMIRAL.  Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt, first woman to command a U.S. aircraft carrier, is slated to become a one-star admiral.  A 1994 graduate of the Naval Academy, she earned a master’s degree from the Naval War College and was designated a pilot in 1996.

 

GM CUTTING 500 SALARIED WORKERS.  General Motors is cutting about 500 salaried employees.  The auto maker seeks to cut costs while it prepares to roll out several new models this year.

  

MAN VISITS DISNEYLAND 500 DAYS IN A ROW.  Jeff Reitz likes to visit Disneyland.  He has visited the California amusement park nearly 3,000 days in a row.  That’s every day for eight years and about four months.

 

FRAUDULENT NURSING CREDENTIALS.  Three Florida schools are accused of selling thousands of bogus diplomas. Medical licensing officials in multiple states are scrambling to stop nurses with fraudulent academic credentials from caring for patients.

 

LIZ CHENEY BECOMES PROFESSOR.  Former Rep. Liz Cheney, the Wyoming Republican noted for her criticism of former President Donald Trump, is joining the University of Virginia's Center for Politics as a "professor of practice." 

DOG SLEEPING ON BED ABOARD AIRLINER DRAWS ATTENTION.  Picture of a dog sleeping on a lie-flat bed in business class of an airliner attracts much world-wide attention.  The South American flight shows the medium-size dog with its head on a pillow and resting comfortably .

NORDSTROM LEAVING CANADA.  Not seeing "a realistic path to profitability," Nordstrom is closing operations in Canada.  It involves 13 department stores and 2,500 workers.

ABUNDANT RAIN IS GOOD NEWS FOR CALIFORNIA FARMERS

 

Californians are hoping that after three of the driest years in history, winter storms that brought an abundance of mountain snow will result in replenishing reservoirs with spring melting, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

Several reservoirs already are above historic averages.

 

Snowpack is more than twice the normal for this time of year, reports the California Department of Water Resources.

 

Snow water equivalent in the San Joaquin River basin is at the highest level in decades for this time of year.

 

So much rain water flowed into Folsom reservoir, near Sacramento, that it prompted release from the dam.

 

The abundant precipitation is good news for farmers and their crops.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

NAVY SHIPS FACE MAINTENANCE DELAYS.  U.S. Navy ships are encountering growing maintenance delays and costs.  That means fewer steaming hours, a troubling trend that comes at a time when the U.S. is struggling to keep pace with China’s growing fleet.

 

DR. PHIL TO DEPART TALK SHOW. "Dr. Phil” McGraw, TV daytime psychologist, plans to wrap up his talk show later this year after 21 years on the air.  “With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction to marriage to mental wellness and raising children," he says.

 

FUNGAL INFECTIONS INCREASE WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES.  A January study shows warmer temperatures are being cited as the culprit behind an increase in dangerous fungal infections. Exposure to higher temperatures may prompt some disease-causing fungi to evolve faster to survive.

 

RALPH NADER STARTS NEWSPAPER. Consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, 88, is starting a newspaper --- the Winsted Citizen --- in his hometown in northwest Connecticut.  He says he is determined to do something about the “news desert” crisis in local journalism.

 BOEING 747 PRODUCTION ENDS.  Boeing delivered its last commercial 747 last week --- more than 50 years after the iconic airplane helped change air travel. The 747, the world's first twin-aisle passenger jet, came to symbolize the era in which mass travel by air became commonplace.

 UK ENTRY FEE AIMED AT AMERICANS.  U.S. travelers to the United Kingdom soon will have to pay an entry fee. The "permission to travel" fee requirement is aimed at those seeking to visit the area without a visa. 

MORE TREES CITED FOR LOWER TEMPERATURES.  Planting more trees in urban areas could help lower temperatures in cities, say researchers who add they could tackle rising heat-related deaths as climate change drives thermometers up.

 DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ON DECLINE.  Data published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, find Americans’ consumption of alcoholic beverages on a steady decline since 1995, with 7.9 billion gallons consumed in 2020. Gallup finds the average number of drinks Americans consume in a week has been falling over the last several years, from 4.8 in 2009 to 3.6 in 2021.

 

To contact Grumpy Editor:  [email protected]

LAST YEAR THIRD MOST COSTLY WITH CLIMATE, WEATHER DISASTERS

 

Climate and weather disasters last year resulted in about $165 billion in damage, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

That’s the third most costly year since 1980, tallies the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

NOAA says 18 disasters — from wind storms to floods — hit the U. S. in 2022. 

 

Extreme weather periods are costly when they strike developed population centers, putting more people in harm’s way.

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

BACK TO THE OFFICE FOR DISNEY STAFFERS. It’s back to the office for Walt Disney Co. workers.  Employees are told they would have to work four days a week, Mondays through Thursdays, from a Disney office starting March 1. 

 

RETIREES RATE FLORIDA TOPS FOR RETIREMENT.  Florida is the most popular destination for retirees.  It is followed by North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona and Georgia.  About one in eight retirees who relocated out of state reported doing so to cut housing expenses. 

 

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FINES CITY NATIONAL BANK.  City National Bank is accused by the Justice Department of discrimination by refusing to underwrite mortgages in predominately Black communities.  It is requiring the Los Angeles-based bank to pay $31 million — largest redlining settlement in department history.

 

DRUG PRODUCERS PRIORITIZE MEDICINES.  Drug producers are prioritizing complex biotech medicines over treatments that can be given as pills because recent U.S. legislation gives biologics a longer runway before becoming subject to government price limits, say top industry executives.

 

UKRAINIANS TRAINING AT FORT SILL.  Ukrainian troops this week at Fort Sill will start training on the Patriot missile defense system.  It's to prepare the Ukrainians to use the Patriot system, which the U.S. is giving to them.

 

BALMY WEATHER TRIGGERS CHERRY BLOSSOMS.  Warm weather is making cherry blossoms appear early this year in Tokyo.  The blossoms are attracting visitors and photographers well ahead of usual peak time in late March and early April. 

 

 

GROUNDHOG PHIL SLATED TO PREDICT WEATHER

 

Grumpy Editor says look for Punxsutawney (Pa.) Phil to grab front page space on Wednesday.

 

And who is "Phil?"

 

He's a groundhog.

 

According to lore, if he leaves his borrow and fails to see his shadow, it means winter will end soon.  But if the woodchuck casts a shadow, winter will continue for six more weeks.

 

He is considered the town's ace "public relations person."

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

 

 

KITTY HAWK ON LAST VOYAGE.  Aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk is on its last voyage, making its way from the West Coast to a scrap yard in Brownsville, Texas.  Sailors who served on board over the years are sad to see it go that way, preferring it to become a museum.  At 280 feet wide and more than 1,000 feet long, it's keel was laid on Dec. 27, 1958, at New York Shipbuilding, Camden, N.J.  Cost then was $178 million.

U.S. TROOPS ON ALERT.  Soldiers from the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions along with troops from other units are among the roughly 8,500 service members who have been placed on heightened alert for possible deployment to Eastern Europe should NATO request help deterring Russia from invading Ukraine.

VIETNAM WAR ANNIVERSARY.  Forty-nine years ago, U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War effectively came to an end. North Vietnam began freeing American prisoners of war, and by the end of March 1973, the last U.S. combat troops left South Vietnam.

INFLATION HIGHEST IN 40 YEARS.  U.S. inflation was 5.8 percent for 2021 as measured by the personal consumption expenditures index. The annual number is the highest since 1981.

MINNIE MOUSE GETS NEW OUTFIT.  Minnie Mouse will soon be changing into a smart blue pantsuit.  It replaces her long-seen traditional red polka dot dress while keeping her iconic bow.

OLDEST GORILLA DIES IN ATLANTA.  Ozzie, 61, a western lowland silverback and the world's oldest male gorilla, dies at Zoo Atlanta.   Cause of death is not known.

 

Yes, it was a hot year — temperaturewise — last year, notes Grumpy Editor.

Average global surface temperature in 2021 reached the sixth highest level since record keeping began 142 years ago. 

Average temperature across land and sea surfaces last year was 1.51 degrees above average over the past century, calculates the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That makes 2021 the 45th consecutive year in which global readings were above average.

Last year saw the hottest summer since 1936.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

ARMY OFFERS BIG BONUS FOR RECRUITS.  The U.S. Army, seeking to attract highly skilled recruits, is offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to those who join for six years.

FEWER DOCK WORKERS POSE PROBLEMS.  The pandemic continues to affect unloading of about 100 container ships at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.  A big problem is with unavailable dock workers — about one in 10 of the daily work force, due to Covid-related reasons.

VETERINARIANS GROWTH SEEN.  A veterinarians.org study focusing on the census of veterinarians in the nation finds there is a projected growth of 17 percent in veterinary practice by 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

POPE VISITS RECORD SHOP.  In Rome, Pope Francis came out of a record shop with a CD in hand.  He didn’t buy anything but shop owners gave him classical music.

CREDIT CARD SPENDING ON RISE.  Latest consumer data show credit card spending and debt levels are once again on the rise.  Federal Reserve data show revolving credit levels in November at $1.02 trillion, highest since March, 2020. 

BACK TO OFFICE STILL FROWNED ON.  The share of remote workers who would consider leaving jobs if they were asked back to the office before they felt safe rose to 55 percent as of Jan. 6, up from 45 percent a week prior, according to pollster Morning Consult.

COLD AIR REPLACES MONTHS OF ABOVE-NORMAL TEMPERATURES

After months of widely-covered above-normal temperatures, parts of the U.S. get a heavy dose of below-normal cold air affecting 100 million people as we head deeper into November, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

In the past few days temperatures east of the Rockies plummet as low as 25 degrees below usual readings.

 

Parts of Texas are hit with lows not seen since last February.

 

Snow showers greet residents of Michigan and parts of the Northeast.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

 

YEAR-ROUND DST PUSHED.  With daylight saving time this year ending yesterday, discussions in the U.S. and elsewhere continue in efforts to keep things brighter later throughout the year.  Daylight saving has been used on and off in the U.S. since the 1920s. In the last four years, 19 states have enacted legislation or passed resolutions to provide for year-round daylight saving time.  About 70 countries practice DST.

 

NEW TV CHANNEL GOES TO THE DOGS.  Following three years of research, Great Britain today introduces Dog TV.  It’s designed to alleviate stress, anxiety and loneliness in dogs throughout the day with programs scientifically made to provide the right company for furry friends.

 

TINY HALF-CENTURY-OLD HOME SELLS.  A 250-square-foot home, built in 1970 in Newton ,Mass, just outside Boston, sells for $315,000, after about a month on the market, although for far less than the original asking price of almost $450,000.

BEAR BREAKS INTO CAR, MESSES THINGS.  Aspen, Colorado police file an unusual report:  a bear breaks into an unlocked car, shreds seats, tears doors apart from the inside, then leaves "an extra special surprise in the back seat."

CHINA BOOSTS NUCLEAR WEAPONS WORK.  The Pentagon reports “China has accelerated the pace of its nuclear weapons development and could have up to 1,000 deliverable warheads by 2030, far exceeding projections from just one year ago.”

LOTS OF FRENCH-FRIES WITH THIS POTATO.  A potato found on a farm in Hamilton, New Zealand, weighs 17.4 pounds, possibility the largest spud on record.  Current Guinness World Records entry for the heaviest potato is a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed in at just under 11 pounds. 

 

NBC UNIVERSAL EXPANDING.  With movie and television production surging, NBCUniversal plans to build eight stages as part of a major development to boost production at its famed Universal Studios lot in Los Angeles.  Growing production stems from higher activity from Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video, among others.

DOG CHASES MOUNTAIN LION FROM HOME.  A pit bull, named Rocky, is being called a hero by his family after chasing a mountain lion away from the back yard of a home in La Verne, California, near Angeles National Forest, and up the hill behind the property.

COOLER WEATHER SEEN TRIGGERING HIGHER HOME HEATING BILLS

 

Nearly half of U.S. homes heated with natural gas can expect to spend almost a third more on bills in upcoming months compared with a year prior, notes Grumpy Editor.

 

The Energy Information Administration says bills would be 50 percent higher if the winter is 10 percent colder than average and 22 percent higher if the winter is 10 percent warmer than average.

 

The forecast rise in costs, according to EIA, will result in an average natural-gas home-heating bill of $746 from this month to March 31, compared with about $573 during the same period last year.

 

Homes heated by electricity can expect a more modest six percent increase in bills.

 

The agency points out natural gas futures this year reached a seven-year high and the likelihood of a more frigid winter than what most of the country saw last year.

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

SINGER TONY BENNETT SETS RECORD.  Grammy Award-winning singer Tony Bennett, 95, set a Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to release an album of new material --- "Love for Sale," a collaboration with singer Lady Gaga.

 

KRISTOF LEAVING N.Y. TIMES.  New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof says he plans to leave the newspaper — but the 62-year-old is not retiring.  Rather, Kristof reveals he is considering a run as governor of Oregon.

 

ALITALIA ENDS FLIGHTS.  Alitalia, Italy’s bankrupt national airline, made its final flights after 74 years.  Replacing it as Italy’s new national carrier is Italy Air Transport, or ITA.

 

VA TO HIRE 2,000 WORKERS.  U.S. Veterans Affairs Department plans to hire 2,000 workers to deal with an expected increase in backlogged claims that have tripled since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

 

COLOR OF YEAR: SOFT SAGE GREEN.  Paint company Benjamin Moore says the color of the year 2022 is labeled October Mist, a soft sage green that it calls “a  springboard for creativity.”

 

MOSTLY WOMEN QUITTING JOBS.  Focusing on employment, CBS News reports “Americans are quitting in droves, and they're mostly women,” adding almost three percent of workers left their jobs in August, a record.

CHER SUING OVER ROYALTIES.  Singer Cher is suing the widow of her former musical partner and ex-husband Sonny Bono over royalties for Sonny and Cher song and record revenue.

SHOOTING BEARS WITH CAMERA GETS JAIL TIME.  Trying to get a close-up picture of grizzly bears, a 25-year-old woman from Carol Stream, Illinois is sentenced to four days in jail and banned from Yellowstone National Park for a year.  She was charged with “disturbing wildlife.”

WEATHER FORECAST WAS KEY ELEMENT IN PINPOINTING D-DAY

 

 

 

D-Day events in the past week reminded Grumpy Editor of the excellent, well documented writing by David Eisenhower, the grandson and namesake of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower with “Eisenhower at War 1943-1945,” originally published December, 1986.

 

Its 977 pages, a masterful work that reshapes thinking about World War II in Europe, was nominated for Pulitzer Prize for History. 

 

Along with media keeping mum --- something that would never happen these days --- on the planned landings on the beaches of France, the other major element was the weather, most important on an English Channel crossing, and how word from the Allies' meteorologists made the June 6 invasion a “go.”

 

The book pointed out that “on the strength of a weather forecast (Gen. Eisenhower) decided to launch the invasion on the sixth (of June) instead of postponing it until the nineteenth without having to clear that decision with higher authority,” adding “it was “one of the truly great decisions in military history.”

 

Adverse weather would have curtailed close support of gunships and aircraft.

 

The Germans, who expected bad weather conditions for an invasion, were victims of faulty intelligence.

 

The Luftwaffe was in charge of predicting weather patterns and did not detect the break in the weather charted by the Allies.  The Germans predicted unsettled weather would force at least a two-week delay on any Allied activity toward France.

 

Allies' daily weather analysis, as pointed out in the book, was prepared by a group headed by meteorologist Group Captain Dr. John Stagg, on loan to the Royal Air Force, along with American-British experts drawn from various U.S. and British military sections.

 

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

 

BETTER THAN A HAMBURGER?  Justin Sun, 28-year-old founder of cryptocurrency platform Tron and CEO of BitTorrent, provided a record winning bid --- $4,567,888 --- for a three-hour lunch date at a New York steak house with Warren Buffet, Berkshire Hathaway chairman.  Every year, Buffett auctions off the expensive lunch that benefits Glide, a San Francisco charity that fights homelessness and addiction.  Last year's lunch with Buffet went for about $3.3 million.  The winner can invite up to seven friends for the lunch.

MAGAZINES CHANGE ISSUES.  Entertainment Weekly will no longer be a weekly magazine starting in August, when it starts publishing monthly as part of a larger "reimagining" of the brand.  The July 5 issue will be the last weekly.  Meanwhile, Newsweek — which started 80 years ago — will see its last print edition with the Dec. 31 issue.  Then it goes all digital.

MONSTER EYES SPIRITS.  California-based Monster Beverage Corp., leader in energy drinks, is considering branching into selling spirits, malt beverages and hard seltzers.  Coca-Cola owns 18.5% of Monster and distributes the brand through its beverage network. 

CONSUMER REPORTS GETS $6 MILLION DONATION. Consumer Reports received $6 million from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, allowing it to keep a closer watch over digital products and platforms, reported Chris Roush, Talking Biz News.

 

PLENTY OF DOUGHNUTS IN L.A.  National Geographic noted almost 1,500 independent doughnut shops dot the Los Angeles area.

 

TROUBLED NURSING HOMES LIST DUE. The U.S. government soon will start posting a list of about 400 troubled nursing homes and it'll be updated on a regular basis.

 

MARKETING CHIEFS TIME ON JOBS EBBS.  Average time chief marketing officers spent at their jobs at the 100 largest advertisers dipped to 43 months last year from 44 months the year prior, according to research firm Spencer Stuart.

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."  

IS HURRICANE STAND-UP ROUTINE NECESSARY IN TV NEWS REPORTING?

One of the weirdest routines in television news over the years is sending into hurricanes stand-up reporters with microphones in hands, braving heavy winds and downpours, and sometimes pounding surf.

Grumpy Editor asks:  Why?

The same, or better video, can be seen with a reporter in a dry, safe studio or in a nearby TV van utilizing a securely-mounted remote on-scene camera to capture the same, or better, footage.

Over the past few days with Hurricane Florence, TV viewers saw familiar faces --- including anchors --- bending with the wind and getting splashed with water as swaying trees and wild breakers are seen in the background.

Does this enhance coverage?

Sometimes the shots are exaggerated.

A prime example, Weather Channel 's Mike Seidel, reporting live from Wilmington, N.C., is seen struggling against a heavy wind in the rain. “This is about as nasty as it’s been,” voices Seidel, leaning with the wind ---- as the camera also captures two young men in shorts walking normally without wind problems behind him. 

The Weather Channel, in defending Seidel, says its reporter was "trying to maintain his footing on wet grass” while the two people in the background were walking on concrete.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

HOUSEHOLD INCOME UP.  Median household income grows to $61,372 last year, up 1.8 percent when adjusted for inflation, while people working full time year round increase by 2.4 million, according to latest census figures .

SIGNING BONUSES FOR SAILORS.  In efforts to retain sailors with desired leadership skills, the U.S. Navy is offering senior submarine officers. for example, as much as $180,000 in signing bonuses.

 

BEETLE TO GET SWATTED.  Volkswagen plans to halt production of its iconic Beetle next July.  The Beetle was developed in Nazi Germany in 1938 and became available in the U.S. 11 years later. 

 

BEWARE OF 2020.  The next financial crisis? J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. strategists, in creating a model, figure it will be in 2020 --- but less painful that former episodes.

iPHONE MORE COSTLY IF U.S. MADE.  If produced in the U.S., as President Donald Trump is urging, an iPhone would cost 20 percent more, tallies an analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

CALIFORNIA TO GO CARBON-FREE ROUTE.  California’s Gov. Jerry Brown signs into law for the Golden State to use only carbon-free electricity sources by 2045.  Thus, it joins Hawaii, the first state to go that route.

BURGLARY SHAKES UP ISLAND.  Gigha, a small island off the west coast of Scotland, sees its peace and tranquility broken by a $2,600 hotel storeroom burglary --- the first serious crime in two decades.

HIGHER PRICES SEEN CURBING SPENDING.  A Kiplinger Letter forecast notes business and consumer spending “could slow because of higher prices and heftier borrowing costs.”

BIG BOOK-BUYING DAY.  Veteran newsman-author Bob Woodward’s latest book, “Fear,” sells 750,000 copies the day after the book arrived in stores, reports Simon & Schuster.  The book deals with a dysfunctional White House.

FICTION READING SAGS.  The percentage of adults reading fiction drops to 41.8 percent last year from 45.2 percent in 2012, while poetry reading jumps to 11.7 percent  from 6.7 percent, reports the National Endowment for the Arts.