Coldest Town in Missouri? Kansas?

Another "clickbait" article out on the interwebs this week. This one is kind of fun.

Coldest Town in Every State

In Alaska it’s Deadhorse.

Do you suppose it froze to death? 

Delaware? Bear. 

A polar bear. Of sorts.

Hawai’i, appropriately enough, it’s Kula. 

Minnesota? Embarrass. 

Embarrassingly cold?

New Hampshire is Colebrook. Also mis-named. Should be Coldbrook. Right? 

In Utah, it’s Coalville. 

Seems like that should be the warmest place in the state. At least indoors.

Kansas? No surprise. At all. At least no surprise to any of us who've paid attention to the region weather forecasts. 

Goodland. 

Talk about poorly named. Wow.

But Missouri? 

Bunker.

Wth is Bunker?

Look What Missouri City is 2nd Worst in the Nation for Property Crime

There's an article out today on MSN ranking the cities with the highest and lowest rates of property crime.

20 Cities With the Highest and Lowest Rates 

of Property Crime

And a Missouri city is in the 2nd to worst spot on it.

And it's not St. Louis.

And it's not Kansas City.

It is, however the "Queen City of the Ozarks."

2. Springfield, Mo.

Population: 168,307
Property crimes per 1,000 people: 74.88

So much for the stereotype of Midwest towns as safe, sleepy places. In Springfield, the property crime rate is more than eight times higher than of the city with the lowest property crime rate.

Springfield, unfortunately, isn’t alone in the neighborhood, if it can make them feel any better. Not that far away Little Rock, Arkansas is 4th worst in the nation.

4. Little Rock, Ark.

Population: 198,800
Property crimes per 1,000 people: 63.23

Most of the cities with high property crime rates aren’t necessarily prone to violent crime. However, Little Rock is the exception. Reviews.org says its analysis found the Arkansas capital would be a contender for a spot on a top-10 list of violent crime as well.

What’s truly odd is the city is in the number one slot.

1. Salt Lake City, Utah

Population: 193,918
Property crimes per 1,000 people: 75.4

Can you believe it? Salt Lake City, capital of Utah and home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka the Mormon Church), has the highest property crime rate in the country according to Reviews.org. There were 75.4 property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2016.

I thought those Mormons were law-abiding and had everything under control out West. Clearly wrong here.

The great news?

Kansas City is nowhere on the list.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

World Homeless Day

Yes sir, today is World Homeless Day. From today's New York Times:

Started in 2010, the day seeks to bring attention to homelessness, a problem that affects tens of millions of people worldwide, according to the United Nations.

In the U.S., more than a half-million people live on the streets or in shelters for temporary stays.

But national statistics show that homelessness is declining. And Salt Lake City has been held up as a model.

The city’s approach is simple: Before tackling the problems that led someone to become homeless, those in need first receive a place to live. The program is credited with reducing the number of chronically homeless people across the state by 91 percent since 2005.

Lloyd Pendleton, who leads Utah’s homeless task force, initially doubted the plan. “I get probably two to five calls a week now,” he said in an interview last year, “wanting to know how we did it.”

For information on how you can help, the National Alliance to End Homelessnessand the National Coalition for the Homeless offer resources.

First China loses a lake, now Iran

As reported here a couple days ago, China recently had a lake--twice the size of London--dry up, now it's Iran:

Its Great Lake Shriveled, Iran Confronts Crisis of Water Supply

LAKE URMIA, Iran — After driving for 15 minutes over the bottom of what was once Iran’s largest lake, a local environmental official stepped out of his truck, pushed his hands deep into his pockets and silently wandered into the great dry plain, as if searching for water he knew he would never find.

Just an hour earlier, on a cold winter day here in western Iran, the official, Hamid Ranaghadr, had recalled how as recently as a decade ago, cruise ships filled with tourists plied the lake’s waters in search of flocks of migrating flamingos.

Now, the ships are rusting in the mud and the flamingos fly over the remains of the lake on their way to more hospitable locales. According to figures compiled by the local environmental office, only 5 percent of the water remains.

Iran is facing a water shortage potentially so serious that officials are making contingency plans for rationing in the greater Tehran area, home to 22 million, and other major cities around the country. President Hassan Rouhani has identified water as a national security issue, and in public speeches in areas struck hardest by the shortage he is promising to “bring the water back.”

Put this in perspective, too, with other environmental/water events here in the US:

--Texas has been in drought for years and is experiencing severe shrinking of their reservoirs for their major cities, including Austin;

--California has been experiencing the same long-term drought with shrinking reservoirs and, making things far worse, this year, to date, the dry spell has accelerated. Governor Jerry Brown has had to finally declare an emergency and ration water;

--Utah's Salt Lake has been famously shrinking for years.

So the question:   

At what point does humankind start paying attention and doing something about our environment?

The crystal clear evolution of Willard "Mitt" Romney

First he was the very Left Wing, Liberal Governor of Massachusetts. tried to out Left Wing Ted Kennedy, he was so Liberal.

Then, years later, as we got closer to the 2000's and Mr. Romney got closer to running for the Presidency, he got further and further Right Wing. Due to the Tea Party pull, strength and power, he got extreme Right Wing on us all. He was then trying to out-Right Wing the likes of Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Michelle Bachmann and all, again, as we know.

Now, Willard is zeroing in on the last 2 weeks of the biggest presidential campaign run of his life and now, now he's come to the realization he has to be perceived as real and realistic so he's taking a far more middle-of-the-road tack so he's appearing centrist.

Like the Salt Lake City Tribune newspaper that did not and would not endorse him, shouldn't we all come to the conclusion that there are just too many Mitt Romneys out there in the world and that there's no telling what this man stands for, besides supporting big business and the wealthy?

So you know a bit more about that Republican candidate for the presidency

Quote of the day

While I am loathe to quote Brigham Young, I thoroughly agree with this one:

“You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” ―-Brigham Young

Most/least religious states

The Gallup Polling organization released its finding on the Most and Least Religious states and came up with some surprising and some terribly predictable data. Missouri ranks as 16th "most religious", tying with Nebraska and North Dakota for that spot. Kansas came up a little bit higher on the list (unfortunately but not surprisingly) with a rating of 13, tying with South Dakota. What this means is that 44% of respondents said they were "very religious" in Missouri's shared 16th spot while 45% of Kansans said they were "very religious." Good for them. As for the "top" (or bottom, depending how you look at it) spots, no surprise there as most of them are all in the South, with the exception of the State theocracy also known as Utah. Mississippi came in the number one (or 50th) spot (again, depending how you view it. Link: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/29/where-are-the-most-religious-states-in-america/

"15 Best Cities for Young Adults"? Not KC

Yes, indeed, another list, another ranking. This one also by Forbes Magazine ranking, as I said, the "15 Best Cities for Young Adults" and Kansas City ain't on it. But Omaha? Number 5. And Des Moines? Number one, for pity's sake. Yow. We gotta' get busy, folks. Links: http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mhj45effk/introduction#content?partner=yahoo; http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mhj45effk/5-omaha-neb; http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mhj45effk/1-des-moines-iowa

"Most Bizarre State Foods"?

I beg your pardon. There's a story out on Yahoo! News today from Shine about all 50 states' "Most Bizarre State Foods". Okay, sure, I get that. It can be informative semi-educational and entertaining, sure. But comparing Missouri's state food--the ice cream cone since it was first created in our own St. Louie--to Utah's Jello? Come on. No comparison. The Jello thing is so bizarre and really wienie, there's just no contest. As it is, America and the world can thank St. Lou and Missouri for this little treat. But Utah? Puh-leeze! (As a final note, check out what they wrote about Utah and their choice. Too funny. Yet another reason to NOT want to be a Mormon). Links: Original story here: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/most-bizarre-state-foods-2509899/#photoViewer=10; How much we eat--and love--ice cream: http://whoknew.news.yahoo.com/?nc&vid=25944695; July, National Ice Cream Month: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/01/137547475/sweet-treat-july-is-national-ice-cream-month

How cool is that?

Family stumbles on small fortune in attic

A Utah homeowner "freaked out" at the first box of cash — and then found seven more.

Skippy the Bush Kangaroo's Very Important--Environmental--Post

If you're not familiar with Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and his blog, well, you should be:

environmental news stories sunday

for those little stories you won't hear talked about on the almost all white guys talking head shows today.
s.f. chronicle adds beehives to rooftop garden. - although some apiarists say new research into fungus and viruses is starting to give the bee the upper hand against colony collapse disorder, no one is ready to declare a comeback for the pollinator, responsible for about $15 billion worth of nuts, fruits and vegetables consumed in the united states each year - sfgate

increasing levels of mercury found in rare pacific albatross. - levels of mercury in an endangered pacific seabird species have increased substantially in recent decades largely due to industrial emissions from asia, harvard university researchers have found. - honolulu star advertiser
more evidence linking pesticides and malformations. - concern about toxic chemicals in the environment has erupted into the mainstream media again, with new reports tying pesticides to disruption of male hormones, birth defects and cancer. - miller mcune

the long-term effects of in utero exposures — the des story. - the lessons learned from the des story are powerful. endocrine disruptors may cause alterations in the reproductive tract that have severe consequences and form the basis of disease in adults decades later. - new england journal of medicine
study spots high level of fire retardant chemicals in california kids. - a california safety standard intended to prevent furniture from catching fire may be having the unintended consequence of exposing children to large amounts of harmful flame retardant chemicals. - fair warning

common weed killer atrazine is showing up in public water supply. - apopular weed killer that's been suspected of causing frog deformities is turning up in drinking water systems throughout the country including some in missouri and illinois, according to a report by the natural resources defense council. - st. louis post ledger

chemical in soft drink cans comes under fire at coca-cola. - it's about as inconspicuous as a chemical can be: it coats the insides of soft drink cans, a barrier against spoilage and contamination. but to some critics, bpa is itself the health risk. now, a group of coca-cola shareholders want to strike a blow against the substance - atlanta journal constitution

atlantic turtles threatened by man-made chemicals. - a team from the college of charleston, south carolina, found travelling turtles picked up potentially deadly pesticides, pcbs and other organic chemicals linked to cancer and brain problems. - bermuda sun

our 'toxic' love-hate relationship with plastics. - we all know that plastics are common in modern life, but science journalist susan freinkel says they are really literally everywhere — in our toothbrushes, hair dryers, cell phones, computers, door knobs, car parts — and of course in those ubiquitous plastic bags we get it seems every time we buy anything. - npr

critics: state department's latest oil pipeline review 'superficial'. - advocacy organizations are as disappointed with the u.s. state department’s revamped version of its environmental evaluation of a much-disputed canada-to-texas oil sands pipeline as they were with its first iteration - solve climate news

farmers should be conservationists. - the central valley regional water quality control board will take up the questions of fertilizer use and groundwater contamination June 8. here's a suggestion for farmers: instead of belly-aching about another regulatory burden, support monitoring and new rules so that the people who pick your crops get clean water from their taps. - contra costa times opinion

gov. rick scott to u.s. epa: we'll take care of our own water. - the day after the florida house passed a bill to ban implementation of water quality standards set by the u.s. environmental protection administration, gov. rick scott on friday asked the agency to rescind a january 2009 determination that the federal rules are necessary for florida - st. petersburg times

muddy waters: silt and the slow demise of glen canyon dam. - lake powell is the second-largest artificial reservoir in the united states - and is the seeming endpoint for four rivers. but these rivers aren't dead, and their persistent dynamics are slowly, steadily driving lake powell toward its demise. - high country news
time is running out for the grand canyon. - on july 21, a moratorium on staking new uranium and other hardrock mining claims on over one million acres of public land near the grand canyon national park will end. unless the department of the interior makes a decision on the land withdrawal prior to that, it will once again be open season. - high country news

common weed killer atrazine is showing up in public water supply. - a popular weed killer that's been suspected of causing frog deformities is turning up in drinking water systems throughout the country including some in missouri and illinois, according to a report by the natural resources defense council - st. louis post dispatch

workers become ill and die at ogden superfund site. - ling seager is dead. so is jim sproul and chris jensen, who sat next to her in an office in the utah national guard’s joint language training center. across from seager sat mike chen; he survived a brain tumor. a few feet away was mark hepper; he’s dying. others are sick. none of them knows why. - salt lake tribune

tobacco firms used diet-aid chemicals. - british and american tobacco companies deliberately added powerful appetite-suppressing chemicals to cigarettes to attract people worried about their weight, according to internal industry documents dating from 1949 to 1999. - london independent

spring may lose song of cuckoos, nightingales and turtle doves. - some of britain's most cherished spring visitors are disappearing in their thousands. ornithologists say species such as the cuckoo, nightingale and turtle dove are undergoing catastrophic drops in numbers, although experts are puzzled about the exact reasons for these declines - london observer

Link:  http://xnerg.blogspot.com/

"Least peaceful" US states: all red?

Well here's an eyeful this evening that just makes a bluecoat Dem just as happy and reassured or something just good and positive.

It seems there's a study out right now on the "Most Peaceful US States" which, naturally, ends up also pointing out those on the other end of the scale---the "Least Peaceful US States".

And guess what?

To no one's surprise, the gun-loving, "shoot-'em-up" Red States (read Right-wing, Republican, Conservative, Redneck, etc.) are at the bottom, mostly, while the educated, Liberal, "Lefty", Leftist, Progressive Blue States are the former--the most peaceful states.

To wit and if you're a red-stater, eat yer heart out:

A study by the Institute for Economics and Peace finds that Maine is the most peaceful state in the country, while Louisiana is the least peaceful.

The group lists the ten most peaceful states in order as: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Minnesota, North Dakota, Utah,--oops, they slipped in there-- Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Iowa, and Washington.


What'd I say?


Now, the flip side:


And here are the least (also in order, with Louisiana leading the unrest): Louisiana, Tennessee, Nevada, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Maryland.

In that second group, all I see are guns, guns and more guns.  I can hear everyone in the Red States making excuses now, can't you?

In a completely unrelated but great fun note, they added this:    It's worth noting that Louisiana was ranked as the laziest U.S. state in a separate study last year. Apparently, kicking back and taking it easy doesn't amount to a life of calm in the eyes of some, though many Louisianians, this reporter among them, would probably argue that they're not lazy or non-peaceful, just misunderstood.

Of course, it could also just be because it's hotter and more humid than belly heck down there in the bayou, of course.

And don't blame us.

It's not OUR study.


Have a great evening, y'all.

Link:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110406/ts_yblog_thelookout/study-maine-the-most-peaceful-u-s-state-louisiana-the-least

Uh-oh

Article out today:

US 'heartland' near historic shift from Midwest

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press – 1 hr 1 min ago

WASHINGTON – America's population center is edging away from the Midwest, pulled by Hispanic growth in the Southwest, according to census figures. The historic shift is changing the nation's politics and even the traditional notion of the country's heartland — long the symbol of mainstream American beliefs and culture.

The West is now home to the four fastest-growing states — Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Idaho — and has surpassed the Midwest in population, according to 2010 figures. California and Texas added to the southwestern population tilt, making up more than one-fourth of the nation's total gains since 2000.

When the Census Bureau announces a new mean center of population next month, geographers believe it will be placed in or around Texas County, Mo., southwest of the present location in Phelps County, Mo. That would put the center at the outer edge of the Midwest, on a path to leave the region by midcentury.

Just sayin'.

The sky isn't falling but it's changing.

Link to original post:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110308/ap_on_re_us/us_census_america_s_heartland

How's that abstinence thing working out for you, Governor Perry?

From The New York Times (see link below):

Texas Governor Rick "Perry government is a huge fan of the deeply ineffective abstinence-only sex education. Texas gobbles up more federal funds than any other state for the purpose of teaching kids that the only way to avoid unwanted pregnancies is to avoid sex entirely. (Who knew that the health care reform bill included $250 million for abstinence-only sex ed? Thank you, Senator Orrin Hatch!) But the state refused to accept federal money for more expansive, 'evidence-based' programs.

'Abstinence works,' said Governor Perry during a televised interview with Evan Smith of The Texas Tribune.

'But we have the third highest teen pregnancy rate among all states in the country,' Smith responded.

'It works,' insisted Perry.

'Can you give me a statistic suggesting it works?' asked Smith.

'I’m just going to tell you from my own personal life. Abstinence works,' said Perry, doggedly."

Thank you for that, Governor Perry, but just because it works for you and the Mrs., doesn't mean it works for an entire state, even if that state weren't the size of Texas.

Link to original post:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/opinion/17gailcollins.html?src=me&ref=general

Utah follows Arizona's lead

First it was Right-wing, looney-bin Arizona, in love with racism and guns.  Now it's Utah's turn:

Utah lawmakers propose M1911 as official state gun

By JOSH LOFTIN, Associated Press – Tue Jan 25, 9:33 pm ET

SALT LAKE CITY – State lawmakers are debating whether to designate a semiautomatic pistol as the official gun of Utah, despite protests from people who believe it's inappropriate because of recent mass shootings.

The bill to make the Browning M1911 the official gun breezed through a committee hearing this week and is scheduled to be debated by the full House as early as Wednesday.

Republican Rep. Carl Wimmer said the state should have the gun as one of its state symbols to honor John Browning, a Utah native who invented it in 1911.

A "state gun"?

I ask you, is this really necessary?

More to the point, don't these legislators have any very real problems and issues that need attention and addressing and not nonsense like this, particularly on the heels of the Arizona slaughter?

Even ignoring the Columbine and Arizona shootings, etc., shouldn't the legislators be doing more of their constituent's real business instead of nonsense like this?

I'd think so, anyway, but "Yee-haw!  Let's git our guns, Clem!"

Ironic aside:  The Gun Violence Prevention Center has a board member named Steve Gunn.

Charles Dickens would have loved that.  It sounds like something he'd have written.

Link to original post:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110126/ap_on_re_us/us_utah_state_gun

Manhattan, KS on "Best Small Cities" list

Yes, you read it right--Manhattan, Kansas makes it--at number 3, no less, out of 10--on Forbes Magazine's "best small American cities for business and careers". Good on ya', "Little Apple": ...Manhattan, Kansas, Bismarck, N.D., and Logan, Utah round out the top five cities on our list.." while "Iowa was the clear standout in the ranking with five metros in the top 20 including Iowa City, which ranked No. 2 (Des Moines nabbed the top spot on out the list of bigger metros). Other leading Iowa metros include No. 13 Waterloo, No. 14 Sioux City, No. 15 Dubuque and No. 17 Ames. They share some similar characteristics like business costs at least 16% below the national average and crime rates that fare at least 16% lower. These metros are all home to top-ranked colleges that churn out a steady crop of highly educated labor Not to be outdone, our own Columbia, Missouri makes it at a very strong and respectable no. 8 so good for you, Mizzou. A final note, you might look at that entire list- and see that most all of that list--6 out of 10--come from right here in the heartland, too, folks--Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and North and South Dakota. There's something to be said for living right, don't you think? Link to original post: http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-best-small-cities-for-business-and-careers

Quote of the day

Recently the south seems to have lost it’s collective mind. Apparently to live in the south means that you have to become a hyper religious, intolerant, badly educated, George Bush loving ass. Missouri is only marginally better. Marginally.

Utah – The south only with more white people.



Link to original post:
http://damnitkage.com/2010/06/some-places-i-want-to-visit-and-some-places-that-i-dont/

Clean air, Congress, Corporations and you--guess who's losing?

Next week, it's being reported, the Senate may gut any new, effective regulations coming from the EPA regarding the Clean Air Act.

This comes about because Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) slipped an amendment into law:

"Majority Leader Harry Reid has allowed the polluting industries, represented by Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, to advance a vote on whether to block the EPA from taking any steps to enforce its recent ruling that global warming gases endanger public health. Murkowski may propose either a one-year block or something more permanent, depending on her assessment of the vote count this year and after the November elections."

So just when this Congress is looking to roll on with legislation that will protect the polluting corporations, with their money and lobbyists, check out what just came across the wire from the Associated Press:

"Schools in parts of Utah kept students inside for sports and recess Tuesday after soaring pollution levels prompted state health warnings on driving and outdoor activity."

"For the third straight day, AIRNow, a national index for reporting daily air quality, ranked portions of Utah as having the most polluted air in the country..."

And keep in mind, this is Utah, folks. We're not talking the "dirty Northeast" part of the United States. This should be clean air, open West, mountain country clean air Utah.

Yeah, Congress people, keep protecting those corporations--at the expense of your constituents.

Could there be a more obvious need to work for clean air than that Utah, of all places--formerly presumed to be squeaky clean Utah--has to keep their kids indoors at school during recess?

What do we have to hit these people over the head with, to get them to see and admit the obvious?