The Gerrymander Battles Loom, as G.O.P. Looks to Press Its Advantage – The New York Times

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The Gerrymander Battles Loom, as G.O.P. Looks to Press Its Advantage – The New York Times

WASHINGTON — With the election over and Democrats in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, officials in both parties are bracing for a bruising new battle with a different balance of power: the redrawing of congressional maps, where Republicans hold the advantage in many state legislatures across the country, including in key battlegrounds.

Republicans hold total control of redistricting in 18 states, including Florida, North Carolina and Texas, which are growing in population and expected to gain seats after the 2020 census is tabulated. Some election experts believe the G.O.P. could retake the House in 2022 based solely on gains from newly drawn districts.

Already, Republicans are discussing redrawing two suburban Atlanta districts held by Democrats to make one of them more Republican; slicing Democratic sections out of a Houston district that Republicans lost in 2018; and carving up a northeastern Ohio district held by Democrats since 1985.

A Brief History of Children Sent Through the Mail

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A Brief History of Children Sent Through the Mail

One of the most overlooked, yet most significant innovations of the early 20th century might be the Post Office’s decision to start shipping large parcels and packages through the mail. While private delivery companies flourished during the 19th century, the Parcel Post dramatically expanded the reach of mail-order companies to America’s many rural communities, as well as the demand for their products. When the Post Office’s Parcel Post officially began on January 1, 1913, the new service suddenly allowed millions of Americans great access to all kinds of goods and services. But almost immediately, it had some unintended consequences as some parents tried to send their children through the mail.

“It got some headlines when it happened, probably because it was so cute,” United States Postal Service historian Jenny Lynch tells Smithsonian.com.

Just a few weeks after Parcel Post began, an Ohio couple named Jesse and Mathilda Beagle “mailed” their 8-month-old son James to his grandmother, who lived just a few miles away in Batavia. According to Lynch, Baby James was just shy of the 11-pound weight limit for packages sent via Parcel Post, and his “delivery” cost his parents only 15 cents in postage (although they did insure him for $50). The quirky story soon made newspapers, and for the next several years, similar stories would occasionally surface as other parents followed suit.

The snow continues

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The snow continues … ❄️

It’s cold and wintery outside. At least it’s not as cold as it has been previous days, and my morning walk wasn’t so bad. For a while the snow stopped, but it’s started up again, although not enough right now to clean off my truck. I do plan to do that this evening, just so I don’t have too much to deal with come morning.

How America Changed During Trump’s Presidency | Pew Research Center

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How America Changed During Trump’s Presidency | Pew Research Center

Donald Trump stunned the political world in 2016 when he became the first person without government or military experience ever to be elected president of the United States. His four-year tenure in the White House revealed extraordinary fissures in American society but left little doubt that he is a figure unlike any other in the nation’s history.

Covering Up Top of 100 State Street

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... just another scene of blight in Downtown Albany. I assume they are trying to restore this magnificent building, and not just controlling chunks of marble that are falling off the roof.

Taken on Friday February 11, 2011 at Albany, NY.