Messed up yesterday, which was nostalgic Tuesday. Did a science posting, which is what I do on Wednesdays. So I'll skip nostalgia this week and provide instead the latest news of today. 
Blowout wins for Democrats yesterday in the national out-year elections.
- Said the morning New York Times.
Zohran Mamdani, 34, will be the next mayor of New York City, the youngest in more than a century. The democratic socialist will also be the city’s first Muslim mayor. Abigail Spanberger will be Virginia’s first female governor. In New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill cruised to victory in a governor’s race that polls had projected would be neck and neck. And in California, voters passed a ballot measure to redraw the state’s maps in Democrats’ favor, which is likely to yield as many as five House seats for the party next year.
And that was not all.
- In Maine, voters rejected a ballot measure that would have added voting restrictions, and they approved a measure that enables families to try to get a troubled relative’s guns taken away.
In Pennsylvania, voters granted new 10-year terms to three Democratic justices on the state’s supreme court.
In Detroit, Mary Sheffield became the city’s first female mayor and the first new mayor in a dozen years.
The big night for Democrats extended beyond the highlight races: In an upset, Democrats ousted two Republican members of Georgia’s utility board, a statewide commission that hasn’t had a Democratic member since 2007. Peter Hubbard and Keisha Waites won.
So the California Republican party sued over passage of Proposition 50. Watch out, for if they win, then all the other gerrymandering Republicans have orchestrated in a bunch of other states, might also be overturned.- Said the UK The Guardian: America gave Donald Trump a bloody nose.
- Said Trump:
Last night it was, you know, not expected to be a victory, I don't think it was good for Republicans – I'm not sure it was good for anybody.
So what about the government shutdown, which today broke the record of 35 days with Day 36?
- President Donald Trump keeps telling the U.S. Senate to abandon the filibuster rule.
- According to Google AI:
The Senate has never entirely abandoned the filibuster rule for general legislation, which still nominally requires 60 votes to end debate. However, it has modified the rule and created significant exceptions multiple times throughout its history.
- 1917: The Senate adopted Rule 22, creating the first procedure for "cloture" to end a filibuster, initially requiring a two-thirds majority vote of those present and voting. Before this, no rule existed to stop a filibuster.
- 1974: The budget reconciliation process was established by the Congressional Budget Act, which exempted budget bills meeting certain requirements from the filibuster, requiring only a simple majority vote.
- 1975: The threshold for invoking cloture on most matters was lowered from two-thirds of senators voting to three-fifths of all senators duly chosen and sworn (60 votes in a full 100-seat Senate).
- 2013: Democrats, led by Majority Leader Harry Reid, used the "nuclear option" (a controversial parliamentary procedure) to change the precedent for executive branch and non-Supreme Court judicial nominees, allowing them to be confirmed by a simple majority vote.
- 2017: Republicans, led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, also used the "nuclear option" to expand the simple majority threshold to include Supreme Court nominations, a change precipitated by the Democratic filibuster of Neil Gorsuch's nomination.
- Other Exceptions: Over 160 additional, often narrow, exceptions to the 60-vote requirement have been created by statute or Senate precedent since 1969 for specific types of measures, such as trade agreements under "fast-track" rules or military base closures.
While the legislative filibuster remains a key part of Senate practice, these numerous changes and exceptions mean the rule is much weaker and more limited in scope than it was historically.
However, according to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the votes aren't there to change the filibuster rule.- My sense is that the resounding series of victories last night will convince Democrats to now find a workable way to end the shutdown some this week.
To close, the USA "celebrates" two days today. The first, you never heard.
- National Chicken Lady Day is observed annually today to honor Dr. Marthenia Tina Dupree.
- For 12 years she worked for Church's Chicken, and was asked to meet with President George W. Bush in 2001 in his Oval Office.
- Not much more about why we celebrate this day. Watch this video.
Here are the top 12 chicken restaurant chains in the country from Food Republic: #1 is Chicken Guy (owned by Guy Fieri), #5 Popeye's, #4 Chik-fil-A, #8 Raising Cane's, #7 Buffalo Wild Wings and #12 is Kentucky Fried Chicken. Never heard of the others in this this list.- Ranking by annual sales: #1 Chick-fil-A ($22.7 billion), Popeye's ($5.7 billion), Raising Cane's ($5.0 billion) and #4 KFC ($4.9 billion)
National Candy Day.- Candy begins in India around the 5th century BC.
Honey was candy in ancient China, the Middle East and Europe. And, incidentally, fermented honey, known as mead, was first produced China around 7000 BC, making it the world's oldest alcoholic beverage.
Before the Industrial Revolution candy was used as medicine.- In the Middle Ages, candy was only consumed by the wealthy.
- The ancient Aztecs believed that chocolate was an aphrodisiac.
Butterscotch was invented by Samuel Parkinson in England in 1817. To make it, used butter and treacle, the sweet syrup from cane sugar.
Candy came to America in the 18th century, from Europe.- In time penny candy stores opened.
- Daniel and Henri Nestle chocolates in 1875.
There is that Atlantic City story about taffy soaked in salty sea foam from an ocean swell, and sold as saltwater taffy in 1883.
M&Ms in 1941. Stands for creators Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie. Forrest's father founded Mars Company and Bruce was the son of the President of Hershey Chocolate Company.- Starburst in 1960
- The most popular candies are M&Ms and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Cotton candy was originally known as fairy floss.- Snickers was named after Frank Mars' family horse.
- 2.8 billion pounds of chocolate consumed in the USA/year for $7 billion, or around 11 pounds/person/year.
But the Swiss consume the most/person/year, 22.- 22 pounds of candy/American/year.
- 2 ounces of milk chocolate would be poisonous for a 10 pound puppy.
- Most candies are cholesterol free.
- But from Google AI:
Candy is not generally considered good for health, but certain types of candy, like dark chocolate and peppermint, can offer specific benefits when consumed in moderation, such as providing a quick energy boost, improving mood through neurotransmitter release, reducing stress, and potentially improving cardiovascular health. However, excessive sugar intake can have negative health consequences, so these benefits should be balanced with a healthy overall diet.
About the that graphic to the above right. The truth is that candy ages you. Just the opposite.- Halloween has the most candy sales over any other holiday.
- You can make you own candy just by boiling sugar in water or milk until it starts to caramelize, then add whatever you want.
- This business has influence: there is also a Nation Candy Month, June.
Typhoon Kalmaegi just devastated portions of central Philippines, particularly Cebu, and is next headed for Vietnam.
- First named on October 30.
- Intensified into a Category 2 and made landfall over southern Leyte today.
- Not only once, but made seven more landfalls over the Philippines.
- Affected 133,554 people, killing at least 116.
- Will strengthen into a Category 3 tomorrow, than make landfall between Quang Ngai and Quy Nhon on Thursday.
That's not all, for Depression 32 has formed, will become a typhoon on Friday, strengthen into at least a Category 3, than make landfall in the north part of the Philippines, north of Manila, then head towards Hong Kong.
My concern is that typhoon season sometimes extends into December, and I'll be on the Diamond Princess from November 25, heading for Hong Kong and Vietnam.
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