Saturday, February 15, 2025

Wall Street Journal and CBC examine ending penny production

I'm returning to timely topics by re-examining one Jimmy Kimmel mentioned in Stewart, Oliver, Meyers, and Kimmel take closer looks at 'Gulf of America Day' and Musk on the cover of Time, "Trump was at the Super Bowl and...decided to declare a war on pennies during the game..." The Wall Street Journal examines the proposal in Trump Wants to End Penny Production. Here Are the Pros and Cons.

President Trump wants to ditch the penny, a move that some experts say is long overdue. Advocates of the least-valuable coin say it should stick around. WSJ examines the question of whether or not it makes sense to get rid of the penny.
The cost of minting pennies and the possibility of no longer doing so is a story I tell my students, usually in the context of using pennies as references for hardness of minerals. What makes this problematic is that the penny has changed in composition over time.
The penny has always been assigned a hardness of around 3. But we have conducted tests and found this is not true.

The penny has changed in composition over the years since 1909 when the first Lincoln cent was issued. Its composition was specified as 95 percent copper and 5 percent tin plus zinc, an alloy classified as bronze. Except for the wartime year of 1943, pennies were bronze from 1909 until 1962. Pennies for the following 20 years were copper and zinc, technically brass rather than bronze. And in 1982 the proportions were reversed so that pennies today are 97.5 percent zinc surrounded by a thin, thin copper shell.
...
The Indian head penny had the same nominal composition as the Lincoln penny, with zinc and tin combined making up 5 percent, but we suspect that the older penny had a little more tin. Maybe one penny isn't a fair test.
Each of these changes made pennies cheaper to produce. To make them even cheaper, the U.S. would have to make them out of steel, like we did in 1943. Those became collectors items, but I don't know if most Americans would accept such a different looking coin when we're not in a world war. It might be easier to stop minting them.

The Wall Street Journal mentioned that Canada had abandoned pennies in 2012, so I'm turning to CBC News asking Is Trump right about eliminating the penny? | About That.

President Donald Trump wants the U.S. Mint to stop making new pennies, but is the one-cent coin really more trouble than it's worth? Andrew Chang explains.
Based on the Canadian experience, ceasing to mint pennies might actually be a good idea. Chalk that up to a stuck clock being right twice a day, and Hoover Cleveland is definitely a stuck clock. The other issue he might be right on? Ending Daylight Saving Time, which will be a subject for next month. In the meantime, stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature. Awards season, anyone?

Friday, February 14, 2025

Drink to a drum corps Valentine's Day with the Blue Devils performing 'The Romantics'

Happy Valentines Day! I'm celebrating by turning today into one of my trademark drum corps holidays. Watch the Blue Devils perform their 2024 program The Romantics (Multi-Cam).

The official 2024 multi-cam of the Blue Devils 2024 production, The Romantics.
(The Blue Devils 2024 full show)

Show Title: “The Romantics"
Activity: Drum Corps International
No Romeo and Juliet? I already used those for Shakespeare's Birthday. Besides, I'm not in the mood for more tragedy.*

Drum Corps International uploaded their own holiday greetings 13 years ago in Happy Valentine's Day!


I'm surprised I haven't embedded this video until now.

I've been slacking on one of my holiday traditions, finishing my posts with a drink recipe. No slacking today! Watch Tipsy Bartender make Valentine's Day: Love You Berry Much Champagne Punch


Drink responsibly and enjoy the holiday with your special someone!

*As I wrote yesterday, "I've had enough of mass shootings" — at least this year. Maybe next year. I can't be all DOOM all the time!

Thursday, February 13, 2025

'Animals Might Be Much Older Than We Thought' for a late Darwin Day

A belated happy Darwin Day!* For today's tale of the scientist credited with formulating the theory of evolution by natural selection, I'm turning once again to PBS Eons mentioning Charles Darwin in Animals Might Be Much Older Than We Thought.

What are animal-like fossils doing in rocks a billion years old, and what does that mean for our understanding of their evolution and geologic time itself? Turns out, there might've been a long, slow-burning fuse that ultimately ignited the Cambrian Explosion.
More than 150 years later, scientists are still answering questions that puzzled Darwin.

Since Kallie Moore mentioned it, here is the video about multicellular Precambrian fossils she recommended, These Fossils Were Supposed To Be Impossible.

Hidden in rocks once thought too old to contain complex life we may have found the animal kingdom’s oldest known predator.
I'm considering showing one of these videos to my Organismal Biology students this summer. If so, welcome to blogging as professional development.

I'm not done with holidays. Stay tuned for Valentines Day. I've had enough of mass shootings. I think I'll turn it into one of my trademark drum corps holidays.

*I got so distracted by the shiny object of bird flu that I forgot about the day until I watched Danny Anduza of Paleontologizing do a Twitch stream about it. Oops!

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Vox asks 'Is it time to worry about bird flu?'

I told my readers to "Stay tuned for a post about what could be the pandemic." Watch Vox ask Is it time to worry about bird flu?

A practical guide to your bird flu fears.

In 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, avian flu began aggressively circulating in wildlife. Dead and sick birds began showing up on shorelines. Poultry farms were forced to cull millions of animals, often in horrific ways, to help stop the spread. Egg prices skyrocketed. Farmers lost millions of dollars. The problem doesn’t stop with birds; avian flu has also been found in a wide range of mammals. More than 24,000 sea lions in South America have reportedly died from it. Then, on January 6, 2025, the US reported the first human death. It’s an alarming development, but fortunately an outlier. The truth is avian flu still poses little threat to humans. But if we’re not worried now, when should we be?
Short answer — not yet, but we need to pay attention. All the virus requires to become dangerous to people is the ability to be transmitted from human to human. Should it recombine with a human flu strain, it could acquire that ability. Then it's time to start worrying.

That's pretty much the same message to take home from AsapSCIENCE explaining Everything you need to know about BIRD FLU.

Should we be worried about Bird Flu? Are we on the brink of another pandemic?
Again, not yet, and probably not, but keep a (covered) eye out.

As Kim Mas of Vox pointed out, the main effect of bird flu so far has been on egg prices and availablity. PBS NewsHour covered that in Why a deadly strain of bird flu is making egg prices soar nationwide.

During 2024, the average price of a dozen large, Grade A eggs jumped 65 percent. The USDA predicts prices will go up another 20 percent this year. A big reason for these sky-high prices: the bird flu outbreak that started in 2022. John Yang speaks with livestock economist David Anderson and virologist Angela Rasmussen for more.
Both my wife and I have had trouble even finding the eggs we normally buy on store shelves. I went to Kroger last week and found almost none of the premium egg brands. Kroger had plenty of the store brand eggs, though, and I bought a carton. My wife found no actual eggs at Whole Foods, so she bought store brand liquid eggs. This is an annoyance and inconvenience, but it's not an actual threat.

That completes this outbreak update. Stay tuned for more politics, most likely filtered through comedy. I need to laugh because it hurts too much to cry.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Stewart, Oliver, Meyers, and Kimmel take closer looks at 'Gulf of America Day' and Musk on the cover of Time

I told my readers "stay tuned for comic takes on America's slide into autocracy...The late-night talk-show hosts have a lot of material" at the end of CNBC asks 'Can New Orleans Save Its Homes From Flooding Again?' They lived up to my expectations, beginning with Jon Stewart & John Oliver Welcome America to Its Trump Monarchy Era | The Daily Show.

Jon Stewart tackles Trump's attempt to be the Super Bowl MVP and examines the president's rejection of federal agencies, birthright citizenship, and basic constitutional checks and balances. Plus, John Oliver welcomes America to its monarchy era.
"Gulf of America Day" — *snort* I don't think it will ever be bigger than National Pizza Day, let alone the Super Bowl! Also, John Oliver would know about monarchies and imperialism.

Seth Meyers had more to say about "Gulf of America Day" and America's slide into autocracy in Trump and Musk Lash Out After Judge Blocks DOGE Takeover, Musk Targets CFPB: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at "President" Elon Musk calling for a judge to be impeached after blocking Musk's access to Americans' personal data, while Musk's second in command, New York businessman Donald Trump, claimed Musk has nothing to gain from dismantling the government.
Hoover Cleveland is surprisingly sanguine about Elon Musk. Who does he think Musk is, Vladimir Putin?

I close with Jimmy Kimmel's monologue, Trump Trolls Taylor Swift in Super Bowl Rant, Kanye’s Crazy Posts & Elon Kisses Up to Donald.

Jimmy ate all the food for the Super Bowl, we look back at the crazy conspiracies about the NFL rigging games, Kendrick Lamar was the star of the halftime show, Philly fans went crazy after the win, Kanye is making a serious run at the title for World’s Worst Person after going literally nuts on Twitter this weekend, he bought commercial time during the game in several markets including LA, Trump was at the Super Bowl and posted several times about Taylor Swift, he decided to declare a war on pennies during the game, he took away Joe Biden’s access to daily intelligence briefings, Elon Musk will be featured on the cover of Time Magazine, there was a deer calling competition in Germany, and we ask people their opinions on Super Bowl commercials we made up in a new edition of Lie Witness News.
If anything, Musk is being more deferential to Trump that Trump is to Musk. Putin would never do that.

Stay tuned for a post about what could be the pandemic.

Monday, February 10, 2025

CNBC asks 'Can New Orleans Save Its Homes From Flooding Again?'

I decided to stick around New Orleans after, at least virtually, LegalEagle says Don't call it the 'Super Bowl!' Watch as CNBC asks Can New Orleans Save Its Homes From Flooding Again?

Twenty years ago Hurricane Katrina flooded hundreds of thousands of homes in New Orleans and killed over 1,800 people. In the aftermath, a quarter of the city's housing stock was left vacant or abandoned. The U.S. government has spent billions to rebuild homes, restore infrastructure, and fortify the levee system. But more may be needed to counteract the city’s slow decline into the sea. On top of that, parts of the federal response have been criticized for their complexity and impact on low-income homeowners. Today, the city is facing a housing crisis as homeowner insurance premiums and property taxes rise.
This video calls back to PBS Terra asks 'When Will We Stop Moving to the Riskiest Regions?'
I wrote "I just wish that the economics were such that people would move here instead of into harm's way. That would make a great subject for another post" two years ago in PBS Terra asks 'What is the RISKIEST Region in the US as the Climate Changes?' In the case of Louisiana, which 'Weathered: Earth's Extremes' asks 'What Happens When the Land Runs Out?' covered, the answer is a combination of low income and high cost.
That's what New Orleans is fighting here. I wish it luck reversing its housing crisis and population loss. Maybe they could learn something from Detroit, whose population increased for the first time since 1957 and moved up from 29th last year to 26th in U.S. cities by population. As I wrote 14 years ago, "Whatever Detroit devises as the solutions for North America's problems will be exported to the rest of the continent."

Speaking of callbacks, here's one for The history of Six Flags New Orleans on the 14th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina 'Closed for Storm' — the story of Six Flags New Orleans on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, and The legacy of Hurricane Katrina on the storm's 16th anniversary from 'Closed for Storm' from Inside Edition, Abandoned Six Flags to Be Demolished 20 Years Later.

It's a land of fun that has been forgotten. Six Flags New Orleans has been abandoned for nearly 20 years since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Inside Edition's Steven Fabian toured the theme park back in 2017. "From this view you can really see it's like a wasteland up here," he said from the top of stairs that led to a roller coaster. Now it's finally being demolished and turned into something new. Inside Edition Digital has more.
Here's to the site becoming something more than just a filming location for post-apocalyptic movies and TV shows, although that's still part of its future, as one of the projects will be a movie studio.

I'll probably return to this topic for the actual 20th anniversary of Katrina this August. In the meantime, stay tuned for comic takes on America's slide into autocracy tomorrow. The late-night talk-show hosts have a lot of material for tonight!

Sunday, February 9, 2025

LegalEagle says Don't call it the 'Super Bowl!'

I closed 'Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Stores', tales of the Retail Apocalypse by asking "Super Bowl commercials and halftime show, anyone?" I woke up this morning and just wasn't feeling it. Instead, I'm embedding LegalEagle telling his viewers Don’t Call It The “Super Bowl!”



Did the Chiefs already win?

The NFL saying it produces "a single entertainment product" alone qualifies this subject for the Sunday entertainment feature, even though that argument didn't convince the Supreme Court that the NFL was not subject to antitrust law. Hey, I've been treating sports as entertainment on this blog since its first year. That written, I learned a lot of new facts about law, business, and sports, which makes today a good day.

I'm closing by reviving a tradition I haven't observed since 2019, Tipsy Bartender preparing Super Bowl Jungle Juice Buckets: Kansas Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles.


"That's a lot of booze." You said it. Also, drink responsibly and enjoy the game, commercials, and halftime show! You will almost certainly see some Emmy nominees and maybe a couple of Emmy winners!

Saturday, February 8, 2025

'Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Stores', tales of the Retail Apocalypse

I closed Company Man asks 'The Decline of Party City...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse with a program note.
As for who benefits from the departure of Party City from the market, in addition to the usual suspects of Amazon and Walmart, Company Man Mike mentioned Walgreens, which is having its own issues and could use the boost, and Spirit Halloween. CNBC and Company Man have videos about both chains, which I plan on using in future Retail Apocalypse posts.
I'm saving Spirit Halloween for Spooky Season, but now is a good time for CNBC explaining Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Stores.

In its fiscal third-quarter report, Walgreens announced its plans to close a ‘significant’ amount of stores, acknowledging only 75% of its 8,600 stores were profitable. While no specific stores were tapped for closure yet, more than 2,000 locations could face the chopping block by 2027. This just the latest sign of trouble for the struggling retail pharmacy sector as CVS and Rite Aid both announced large closures in the past year. Watch the video above to learn why U.S. pharmacy chains are fighting for survival.
I'm a diabetic and asthmatic, so I am in my local Walgreens a lot to pick up my prescriptions. I also go there to pick up other supplies, but no longer my blood glucose test strips. I found out CVS had cheaper test strips, so I bought them there until my wife found them on Amazon for even cheaper. We now have them delivered on a regular schedule — price and convenience! That makes us examples of customers shifting their front-of-store shopping to Amazon. If that's the trend with party supplies and seasonal items, then Amazon and Walmart will benefit more from the closing of Party City than Walgreens or CVS.

As I'm fond of writing, it's always a good day when I learn something new, and I learned a lot about the importance of the pharmacy to Walgreens and CVS — 76% of Walgreens in-store sales and 60% of the company's total revenue! Also, CVS is the leading Pharmacy Benefit Manager with CVS Health/Caremark having 34% market share. Since CVS also owns Aetna Insurance, it looks like they profit both coming and going. Near vertical integration, anyone?

Speaking of learning something new, while I blogged about food deserts when I began this blog, this is the first I've heard about pharmacy deserts. Same story, different market segment. One of the solutions is the return of mom-and-pop pharmacies. Since I support Small Business Saturday, I approve.

CNBC concentrated on Walgreens, so I'm switching to CVS with Retail Archaeology asking What Is Going On At CVS?

In this episode we take a look at two CVS Pharmacy locations.
YouTube has an AI summary of this video.
This video explores the current state of CVS Pharmacy, examining two locations and their changing role in the retail landscape. The creator discusses the decline of traditional drugstore offerings and the impact of CVS's acquisition of Aetna on its overall business.
That's surprisingly accurate.

Erik of Retail Archaeology also asked What Is Going On At Walgreens?

Let's take a look at what's going on at Walgreens.
This video also has an AI summary.
This video explores the current state of Walgreens stores, examining their recent struggles and changes. The creator visits two locations, one updated and one not, highlighting issues like declining sales, high prices, and a shift towards healthcare services. They also discuss the impact of these changes on the overall shopping experience.
I'm glad Erik mentioned Target instead of Walmart. As I wrote most recently in Company Man explains 'Walmart - Why They're Hated' for Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day, "I'm one of those who call Target "Tar-zhay" and shop there regularly, helping contribute the demise of both Sears and KMart. As I wrote once on my Facebook page, 'between Walmart and KMart, I shop at Target.'"

Both CNBC and Erik of Retail Archaeology think that Walgreens is in worse shape than CVS. This contradicts the comments I've been getting on the CVS video at Dreamwidth. A new follower of mine there seems to have it in for CVS.

That concludes today's tale of the Retail Apocalypse. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature. Super Bowl commercials and halftime show, anyone?

Friday, February 7, 2025

A small chance asteroid impacts Earth in 2032

After blogging about tariffs, Musk taking over government computers, mass deportations, Trump's wild idea about Gaza, I'm ready for a different kind of disaster.* The universe provided one in the form of a potential asteroid impact. Watch Global News report Over 1% chance asteroid may hit Earth in 2032, space agency says.

A newly discovered, far-flung asteroid has sparked curiosity and a healthy side of concern among scientists who say the huge rock has the potential to make impact with Earth.

Based on projections, the asteroid, dubbed 2024 YR4, has a little more than one per cent chance of impact with Earth on Dec. 22, 2032.

The asteroid measures between 40 and 90 metres wide (130 and 300 feet) based on estimates from its reflected light.

“An asteroid this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and could cause severe damage to a local region,” the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a space safety briefing.
CBS Texas repeated the last sentence in the description of A "city-killer" asteroid has a slim chance to crash into Earth.

"An asteroid this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and could cause severe damage to a local region," the European Space Agency said.
The last impact the size of the one that could happen if Asteroid 2024 YR4 enters Earth's atmosphere in seven years was the Tunguska impact on June 30, 1908, which is the event Asteroid Day commemorates. That would be 128 years before a potential impact, not a "few thousand years," but "on average" is doing a lot of work; there is room for a lot of variation.

I close with ABC News (Australia) analyzing the situation in Asteroid with small chance of hitting Earth triggers global defence plan.

Astronomers have spied an asteroid that may be heading for Earth in 2032. While scientists say there is currently no cause for alarm and it will likely pass Earth safely, members of a space mission planning group are meeting this week to work out the next steps. Professor Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland tells The World several factors would come into play, including what the asteroid is made of.
Professor Horner managed to be both scary and reassuring at the same time. Odds are that we'll be O.K. Even if the asteroid impacts the atmosphere, most cases will affect relatively few people. The bad news is that if the asteroid explodes on or above a city, it could kill millions. YIKES!

Oh, and even this story couldn't avoid Elon Musk. Sigh. I was hoping to get away from events on Earth today.

*Disaster literally means "bad star." That's quite on the nose for this story.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Colbert, Meyers, and Lydic take closer looks at Trump's wild idea about Gaza

There are bad ideas, there are really bad ideas, and then there's Trump's idea about the U.S. taking over the Gaza Strip. As Thomas Jefferson famously wrote, "Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions," so off to the late night talk show hosts I go for the ridicule Hoover Cleveland's dangerously stupid idea deserves. Watch Stephen Colbert's monologue on the subject, Trump’s Gaza Plan: Atrocity Or Distraction? | CIA, FBI Purges Underway | A Strange Uncle Returns.

President Trump showed no humanity when suggesting the U.S. should forcibly relocate every resident of Gaza, the CIA and FBI are purging their ranks at the behest of the Trump administration, and a fast food brand is bringing back a problematic mascot that probably should have stayed retired.
I hope it's a distraction. As Stephen pointed out, there's plenty to distract from.

Seth Meyers had even more to say in Trump Shocks World with Plan to "Take Over" and "Own" Gaza, Undercuts "America First": A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at Trump wanting to occupy the Gaza Strip and turn it into the riviera of the Middle East.
I'm recycling my reaction from MSNBC explains 'Trump’s tariffs will cost you. Here’s how'.
Many of the horse loose in the hospital's supporters say he's a "peace president." In reality, he's an imperialist who just has his sights set closer to home.* Vladimir Putin must be pleased. His bad bromance is paying off.
This harebrained scheme, apologies to rabbits and hares, makes me have to modify the "sights set closer to home part." The Gaza Strip is not close to home for Americans. I'm surprised the Israelis are tolerating the idea.

Desi Lydic also took aim at the proposal in Trump Proposes Gaza Takeover as GOP Tries to Defend Palestinian Relocation Plan | The Daily Show.

Desi Lydic tackles Trump's proposal to take over Gaza and push all the Palestinians out to build a resort. Plus, Republicans try to spin the president's plan, and Jordan Klepper gets in on the brainstorming sesh.
Desi is right, this idea is stupid, crazy, and evil. Fortunately, it's probably going nowhere — probably. One never knows with Hoover Cleveland. After all, I thought the idea of Greenland becoming a U.S. territory died during his last administration. Nope. It's back, baby, and bigger than ever!

I close by returning to Late Night with Stephen Colbert's cold open, Resettling The Residents Of Mar-a-Lago.

In the spirit of taking over territory you have no legal right to, Palestinians will be taking over Mar-a-Lago and resettling the current residents.
"Go to Hell!" "Sure, we'll take them!"