Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

I know I promised to post some election coverage at the end of Good economic news for election day.  Later.  Right now, I'm not up to writing those articles.  Instead, I'm going to add another holiday to this blog's calendar, Guy Fawkes Day.*  Take it away, Geek and Sundry!

The Gunpowder Plot (ETA: Geek and Sundry has taken down that video sometime over the past five years, so I'm replacing it with Vox's Guy Fawkes Day: explained although I'm still retaining the description of the video along with Vox's.)

Geek and Sundry: Remember, remember, the Fifth of November. Kiriosity explores some explosive facts (and Fawkes) about the Gunpowder Plot of 1605; the attempted assasination against King James I of England by a group of English Catholics.

Vox: An abridged history of how Guy Fawkes day earned its namesake.

Of course, the adoption of Guy Fawkes (or at least his mask) as a symbol of Anonymous has added new meaning to the day, as explained by Russia Today in Million Mask March rallies sweep the globe.

The Million Mask March is spreading worldwide as demonstrators protest against austerity, mass surveillance and oppression.

It's a pity that Russia Today is the main news outlet covering this, as the channel has an agenda of promoting troublemakers in the U.S. and elsewhere.  Their agenda of destabilizing Russia's rivals contaminates that of the protesters, which I generally support.

*While I have mentioned the day before, I've never actually observed it here.

Good economic news for election day

While I'm actually in a doomy mood, I'm just not up to posting something appropriately pessimistic.  Instead, I'm going to update Good economic news from Michigan universities with the latest good economic news.  I'm in need of cheering up after tonight's election results.

I begin with the national picture from the University of Michigan: Consumer sentiment in October highest in seven years, posted October 31, 2014.

ANN ARBOR—Consumer confidence posted its third consecutive monthly gain in October, rising to its highest level since July 2007, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.

Conducted by the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR) since 1946, the Surveys monitor consumer attitudes and expectations.

"Consumers have been gradually regaining their economic footing in the past several months, with confidence rising to the highest level since the start of the Great Recession," said Richard Curtin, director of the surveys. "This is not the first time such a strong rebound has occurred, but this time it appears to have more forward traction. Consumers have not overreacted to the negative news of a global slowdown or Ebola, nor to the positive news of lower gas prices. Instead, consumers have kept their focus on improved job and wage prospects. Finally, five years after the start of the recovery, consumers have begun to adopt the expectations and behaviors that have driven past expansions."

The October gain was due to improved personal finances as well as a more favorable outlook for the overall economy, according to Curtin. Indeed, consumers reported the most favorable personal financial expectations as well as the most positive year-ahead outlook for the national economy in the past seven years. What the survey did not find was any negative impact on confidence from the global economic slowdown, military conflicts, or Ebola. None of these issues was mentioned by more than a few respondents; instead, respondents emphasized improved wage and employment prospects due to a stronger economy. Gains in holiday spending are expected to be the best in several years, benefiting from higher confidence as well as falling gas prices at the pump.

Trick or Treat!  Hey, a treat!

Next, Wayne State University with the local economic picture in Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index remains strong in October, finishing at 54.7 , posted November 3, 2014.

DETROIT— The Southeast Michigan Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for October is 54.7, down slightly from September’s 59.4.  A PMI value above 50 generally suggests economic growth.

“We continue to enjoy a bright economic outlook, said Timothy Butler, associate professor of supply chain management at Wayne State’s School of Business, who interpreted this month’s results.  Key indicators for growth include the New Orders Index, the Finished Goods Inventory Index and the Employment Index.  In fact, the Employment Index has remained over 50 since July 2012.”

Purchasing managers’ confidence continues to be up, with 93.4 percent believing the Southeast Michigan economy will remain stable or become more stable over the next six months, while only 6.7 percent anticipate a less stable economy.

Respondents reported prices were up for resins, aluminum and steel for the month, while oil and copper were down in price. They also noted the Ebola crisis disrupted air transportation and reported travel cost increases.

Professor Farnsworth approves in general, although I'm sure that he's not too keen on Ebola.

Follow over the jump for economic reports from Florida, Colorado, and Georgia.

Crazy Eddie's Motie News endorsements for the 2014 general election

As I concluded Gas prices fall again:

I'll be back at midnight with the endorsement entry I promised at the end of Obama visits Detroit plus election news from campuses on the campaign trail.  Stay tuned.

It's midnight, so I'm back with the general election edition of Crazy Eddie's Motie News endorses...  I start with my suggestion for Proposals 1 and 2 in the spirit of a picture being worth 1000 words.


How to vote on these proposals was the one thing people at work asked me about.  I told my co-workers to vote no, just as I'm telling my readers.

Follow over the jump for more endorsements.

Gas prices fall again

The last time I updated the local gas war, it was to report that $2.89 gas arrived sooner than I expected.

It arrived yesterday, as two of the stations down the street dropped their price for regular to $2.89 and for midgrade to $2.99.  My wife filled up the new car with midgrade.

After that experience, I pointedly did not make any prediction about where gas would go, as the low I expected for the year had been reached.  Based on the seasonal pattern, I should have expected prices to go down some more, and they did.  Today, the three stations down the street are now selling regular for $2.87.  I'm just waiting for the corner station to drop its price from $2.89 to match them.

I'm not the only one reporting on the lower gas prices.  WXYZ noticed them, too, in Michigan gas prices continue to fall.


He should come to my corner, where the gas is cheaper, although I don't know if he'd get a bigger candy bar from the change.

Based on GasBuddy, it was time for the local stations to lower their prices, as the Detroit average is currently $2.93.  They could actually drop prices another four cents to $2.83 by the end of the week.  Also, the national average is currently $2.96. It looks like the AAA declaring the end of $3.00 gasoline was a bit premature.  However, I don't expect their testimony to be off by much.  As I told K-Dog in comments to that entry:

Gas prices have finally decreased, but that was as much due to decreased demand in Europe and Asia and Saudi Arabia deciding to get out of the way of a falling knife as it was about increased U.S. production. It reminds me of 1998, when prices fell because of similar circumstances, namely a recession in Asia while the U.S. was undergoing expansion. The low prices will probably last about as long, too. Enjoy it while it lasts.

In the meantime, have a gloating macro in time for tomorrow's election.


I'll be back at midnight with the endorsement entry I promised at the end of Obama visits Detroit plus election news from campuses on the campaign trail.  Stay tuned.

Obama visits Detroit plus election news from campuses on the campaign trail

This should be the next to last update of election news from campuses on the campaign trail.  Based on "if it moves, it leads," I begin with WXYZ covering President Obama visits Detroit.


Since this took place at Wayne State University, it technically counts as election news from a campus on the campaign trail.

Follow over the jump for more election news from Colorado, Florida, Illinois, and Iowa originally included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (A bad week for private space) on Daily Kos.

Vampires, zombies, and Day of the Dead

I opened and closed A bad week for private space with a scheduling note.

At the end of Set back your clocks, including the ones for insulin pumps, I told my readers to "stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment entry."  It's still coming, probably at 7 PM EST.*
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*Midnight Greenwich Time is now 7 PM, not 8 PM, so that's when the stats for the next day begin.

The time has arrived.

I begin with two videos for Halloween from Georgia Tech that I originally included in last night's Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (A bad week for private space) on Daily Kos.  First, Sinking his teeth into Dracula: Georgia Tech's resident horror film scholar.

John Edgar Browning is a Marion L. Brittain Postodctoral fellow at Georgia Tech, and teaches classes on the horror genre of literature and film. One of his particular areas of expertise is vampires, specializing in the Dracula figure in popular culture. Brittain Fellows like Browning tailor their courses to their own research interests while meeting state and university objectives and outcomes.

He's not the first scholar I've written about who studies vampires.  In Sustainability news from campuses on the campaign trail for the week before Memorial Day, I included a press release from the University of Wisconsin about the scholarship of Tomislav Longinovic, who explored the vampire as a metaphor for malignant nationalism.  I wonder if Browning is aware of Longinovic's work.  If not, I have three words for him: Bela Lugosi's Dead.*

Next, Georgia Tech Humans vs. Zombies game Fall 2014.

Students, faculty, and staff take part in Humans vs. Zombies, or HvZ, a weeklong game of tag with short missions and strategy mixed in.

“Being a human is fun because it really tests your ability,” says computer science major, Rachel Clark. “Every day you survive feels like a pretty neat accomplishment.” The zombie life, Clark said, is also fun, but less stressful. “It’s also more common for zombies to casually hunt in groups, which makes a great chance to meet new people.”

If it's Sunday when "The Walking Dead" is being shown, there will be zombies.

Follow over the jump for my reaction to material about The Day of the Dead from the University of Kansas.

A bad week for private space

At the end of Set back your clocks, including the ones for insulin pumps, I told my readers to "stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment entry."  It's still coming, probably at 7 PM EST.*  In the meantime, I present a double dose of minor DOOM for proponents of continued crewed spaceflight, the top stories from last night's Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (A bad week for private space) on Daily Kos.

First, both because it happened first and because if it moves, it leads, Discovery News asks Why Did The Antares Rocket Explode?

Last night, a private Orbital Sciences rocket set to deliver cargo to the International Space Station exploded seconds after liftoff. Why did this happen, and what did we lose? Trace and Amy are here to discuss.

That was the first disaster.  NBC News reported on the second, which followed on its heels.

Richard Branson Says Virgin Galactic Will Learn From SpaceShipTwo Crash
October 31, 2014

Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson said his team is dedicated to finding out what led to Friday's fatal test flight of the SpaceShipTwo rocket plane, and that he and millions of supporters of commercial space travel "would like to see the dream living on."

The National Transportation Safety Board began its investigation Saturday into what led to the explosion over California's Mojave Desert that killed one pilot, identified as 39-year-old Michael Alsbury, and injured a second, Peter Siebold, 43. Alsbury died at the scene, according to the Kern County Coroner’s Office. Siebold was headed to surgery Saturday, according to The Associated Press.

Branson told reporters that the Virgin Galactic program would "not push on blindly." "We owe it to our test pilots to figure out what went wrong. If we can overcome it, we’ll make absolutely certain that the dream lives on," the British businessman added. Branson conceded that the program "fell short," but pointed out that the early days of aviation were risky before they became safe.

There is good news from this story: Pilot Injured in SpaceShipTwo Crash 'Alert, Talking'.

A pilot injured in Friday’s deadly Virgin Galactic test flight accident is awake and able to speak with family members and doctors, the company involved in the craft’s development and testing said.

Peter Siebold, 43, had surgery on his arm, his family told NBC News Saturday. He was injured when the SpaceShipTwo rocket plane broke up over California’s Mojave Desert Friday and crashed, killing pilot Michael Alsbury, 39. Scaled Composites said Siebold was the pilot and Alsbury was the co-pilot on the fatal flight.

I'm glad Siebold is recovering, but am sorry for the loss of Alsbury.**

These stories triggered some discussion both about privatizing space in general and about the specific disasters in particular.  Follow over the jump for the recycled comments from my diary on Daily Kos.

Set back your clocks, including the ones for insulin pumps

It's time to be a good environmentalist and reuse and recycle: "Discovery News on YouTube reminds us of the event and describes its history in Why We Have Daylight Saving Time."

Daylight savings is back! But why do we do it exactly? We've all heard different explanations, so Anthony hit the books in search of a definitive reason why we change our clocks.

Set back all your clocks, including the ones in your automatic dosers.  Michigan State University explains why in Could daylight saving time be a risk to diabetics?

Soon, many will turn back the hands of time as part of the twice-annual ritual of daylight saving time. That means remembering to change the alarm clock next to the bed, which will mean an extra hour of sleep before getting up in the morning.

But for some diabetics who use insulin pumps, Saleh Aldasouqi, associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University, suggests that remembering to change the time on this device should be the priority.

“Some diabetes patients who use insulin pumps may forget to change the clock that is found in these devices,” said diabetes expert Aldasouqi. “Forgetting to change the time can result in insulin dosing errors that can be harmful.”

So it's not just when we spring ahead that there are health risks.  At least this isn't a threat to everyone, the way heart attacks can be.  Just the same, it could be a threat to more people in the future than it is now.  As I ask in my worksheet for Food, Inc., "What fraction of all American children born after 2000 has been predicted to come down with Type II diabetes during their lifetime?  What fraction of minority children (from caption)?"  The answer is 1 in 3 for all Americans born after 2000, 1 in 2 for minority children.

Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment entry.

Farewell, Yuki

Here's what I wrote about my old car in Michigan universities on buying cars.

In Driving update for September 2014: Ruby, I lamented the fate of my old car.

Yuki may not reach that milestone, at least not with me driving her.  My wife and I are shopping for another car, and Yuki will likely be the one traded in.  Sigh.  That will deserve a post of its own when that happens, along with the story of how buying Ruby was the fulfillment of a promise I made to my students.  Later.

We've bought the new car, but I didn't trade in Yuki, at least not yet.  I'll write Yuki's farewell when I either sell her or trade her in.

Yesterday, I finally sold Yuki, so it's time to calculate the miles driven and write what will probably be her obituary.  First, here is the projection of how much I would have driven her had I kept her from Driving update for September 2014: Ruby.

I'm driving Ruby more and Yuki less while my wife holds her driving steady.  It's been 80 days since Driving update for July 2014: Yuki and I've only driven my car about 750 miles.  At that rate, it should be another 26 or 27 days before I roll her over to 222,000 miles for 1000 miles in 106.7 days.  That would be a rate of 9.37 miles/day or 285.85 miles/month.  That would be much less than the 11.90 miles/day and 363.10 miles/month during the comparable period last year.

When I sold Yuki, her odometer read 221,841, so I drove her 841 miles since July 9, when she rolled over 221,000 miles.  From then until Halloween is a total of 104 days.  841/104 is 8.09 miles/day or 246.75 miles/month.  If I count until the 29th, when the last mile rolled over, the calculation is 841/102 or 8.25 miles/day or 251.63 miles/month.  Either one is a lot less than what I estimated if I had kept her and continued driving at the same rate.  Of course, neither number really means anything until both Ruby and the new car, which I'm provisionally calling Dez and my wife is calling Lapis, hit their next 1000 miles.  Stay tuned for those driving updates.

In the meantime, farewell, Yuki, and thank you for 11 years to the month of reliable service!

Nablopomo for November: HUGE

The big event of the blogging year is here, the anniversary of the original Nablopomo.  I'm going to be a good environmentalist and recycle what I wrote in Nablopomo for November: No theme, just blog.

There is no theme this month other than blogging for blogging's sake.  That written, there is an announcement.

Every November, thousands of bloggers make this commitment to post daily. But it's about much more than posting; it's about community, connection and our shared craft. Those are all values worthy of a monthlong public celebration. So let's get into all the sparkly details!
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NaBloPoMo happens every month, but due to its proximity to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), November tends to be the "official" month, and it is unofficially HUGE.

This sentence, which was repeated in the email and at this year's announcement at the website, is why I'm saying this month's theme is "Huge," even though there officially is no theme beyond blogging for blogging's sake.

Back to my entry from last year.

Think of it as one big blogging party meant to give you enough energy, ideas and inspiration to supercharge your blogging mojo and carry you through the next 12 months. We do our part to keep the energy going by celebrating the big crowd by highlighting posts and handing out prizes.

It's as simple as this: post daily on your own blog. That's it. You can get fancy and cross-post your blog posts onto the NaBloPoMo site for more exposure. If you need daily inspiration, bookmark the NaBloPoMo prompts page for November, which already has all the prompts for the month posted so you can plan ahead.
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So grab a cup of coffee, crack your knuckles, and let's get writing! Oh, but sign up for November's NaBloPoMo before you get lost in your own blog.

This is my fifth November participating since I first signed up in 2009 on my LiveJournal.  My, how time flies.

I think I miscounted.  I may not have posted anything about Nablopomo in November 2010, but I blogged every day that month, so I retroactively proclaim that I participated.  That means that this is now the seventh November I participated in Nablopomo and the sixth anniversary of my first doing so.  Time still flies.

Follow over the link for the email and announcement at the website for this month.