Random Notes from a Crank

Here are some select, interesting factoids from recent Harper's Indexes (April and May):

• Factor by which more Americans work in the solar industry than work in the fossil fuels: 2
• Ratio of average annual number of deaths in the United States cause by drowning to those caused by gun violence: 1:8
• Of federal research funding for drowning to funding for gun violence: 1:1
• Percentage of Trump voters who believe he should be allowed to have a private email server: 42
• Who believe he should not: 39
• Factor by which sales of George Orwell's 1984 increased during the three weeks after the presidential inauguration: 90
• Number of books on a list that a Virginia judge assigned to five teens for defacing a historic black schoolhouse: 35
• Average percentage change in suicide rates among gay and bisexual teens after their state legalized same-sex marriage: -14
• Percentage change since 1997 in the number of times married Americans have sex each year: -19
• Length, in minutes, of a weekly break during which employees of a Swedish town are encouraged to have sex: 60

I'd call that last one a "nooky break."

Because of my son being on travel basketball and baseball teams and my daughter being on the volleyball and track teams for her middle school, I've gotten to visit some of the hamlets in east central Illinois. Friday we were in Teutopolis for a track meet, and that school system has one of my absolute favorite mascots: wooden shoes. 

If I'm not rooting for the Charleston Trojans, I root for the Shoes. FEAR the Wooden Shoes. 

This all leads to "10 Unique Illinois High School Mascots." The Shoes are the staunch rivals of the Flaming Hearts by the way.