—Should Be Used to say that a person should not say he or she will never do something!
CANTON — The Hillsdale High School football team and Maria Stein Marion Local will kick off Day 2 of the 2024 OHSAA football state championships this morning with the Division VII title game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Follow along here throughout the day for live updates on the game.
How did Hillsdale reach the OHSAA Division VII state championship game
Hillsdale advanced to Canton with a 25-22 win over Danville in the state semifinals.
What to know about Hillsdale Falcons football
Hillsdale is making its first appearance in a state championship game.
The Falcons had not advanced past the regional championship game prior to this season. Hillsdale is no stranger to the playoffs, though. The Falcons have reached the postseason nine consecutive season under head coach Trevor Cline. Hillsdale has an overall record of 15-12 in the playoffs.
Hillsdale High School football players to watch
WR Hayden McFadden: The first 1,000 yard receiver in program history. McFadden has 60 catches for 1,363 yards this season with 18 touchdowns.
WR Holland Young: On the verge of being the second 1,000 yard receiver in program history. The senior has 915 yards and nine touchdowns this season.
RB Owen Sloan: A 1,500 yard rusher that can chew up yards. Sloan has 226 carries for 1,644 yards and 31 touchdowns.
QB Kael Lewis: A sophomore that has thrown for 2,981 yards with 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.
What to know about Marion Local Flyers football
The team from small town Maria Stein (population is just over 1,000 people) are not just a juggernaut, they’re pretty much the closest thing you will see to a high school football dynasty.
The No. 1 ranked team in Division VII came into Friday’s state championship game having won 63 straight games − the longest winning streak in Ohio high school football history − and three consecutive state titles. As a program, Marion Local have won 14 state titles (most in Ohio high school football history) and 22 regional titles. For the 2024 season, the Flyers have outscored their opponents 709-49, a 660-plus point differential, and have nine shutouts to their name, including a stretch where they had six in a row.
The Flyers have won a state record 63 straight games and will look to make it 64 — four full 16-game seasons. Marion Local has allowed 49 points all season, shutting out eight opponents. The Flyers have committed 26 turnovers, including 16 interceptions, and made 29 sacks. The Flyers give up 136.6 total yards per game. Offensively, Marion has scored 40 or more points in 12 of 15 games. Head coach Tim Goodwin is 324-48 in his 26th season, winning 14 state titles since 2000.
Hillsdale discussed the task at hand, highlighting especially how fundamentally sound their opponent is. “You’ve heard about Marion Local for many years now. I know us as a program, it’s always been a goal of ours to make a state championship and if you made it there, the chances are you will have to play Marin Local,” said Hillsdale head coach Trevor Cline. “It’s a great opportunity for our program to go up against a program like that.”
“They’ve been perfect in every aspect of the game. They don’t really beat themselves,” said Bower, on what he’s seen on tape of the Flyers. “If you wanna beat them, you’re going to have to beat them fair and square. They don’t have many breakdowns.”
“They are fundamentally sound,” Cline added. “All the little things they do right. They’re not a team that’s going to beat themselves.” “We obviously respect them a lot,” said Heller. “They’re a very disciplined team. They know their assignments and they do them well. We’re looking at that.”
For Marion Local as a whole, they bring plenty to the table. They have multiple backs in Drew Lause, Ethan Heitkamp and 1,000-yard rusher Parker Hess that do damage. Add quarterback Justin Knouff to the list of formidable runners, and the Flyers find themselves with a profusion of running options. The QB-WR combination of Knouff and wideout Victor Hoelscher will be one to watch for too.
However, if there’s one area that’s evident to Hillsdale where Marion Local excels at, it’s the basic principles of blocking from their offensive line.
“They’re blocking. They get to the second level and they get off the ball real well,” explained Heller. “Offensively, there’s not just one guy to key on,” said Cline.
“They have multiple guys who can make plays for them. Also, their offensive line blocks extremely well. They’re not going to overwhelm you with size but they are built athletically. When you watch their offensive line block, it’s like a clinic tape on how well they block.”
How Marion Local reach the OHSAA Division VII state championship game:
Marion Local advanced by routing Columbus Grove 41-6 in the state semifinals.
“It was an awesome game,” said Parker Hess. Above, he follows the block of teammate Drew Lause in the Columbus Grove Game.
Marion Local possesses a strong linebacking core as well, and the defensive side is what caught Bower’s attention. “I think they communicate exceptionally well, especially on defense,” he said. “You can tell they’re talking on film. Pointing and they’re always looking around. They have awareness. They know their jobs.”
Going into Friday, the Falcons know they will be a heavy underdog, but Hillsdale has answered test after test throughout the program’s best season in school history, and against mighty Marion Local, they’re ready to embrace the confrontation before them.
Call it a “Me Against the World” mindset.
“Yeah it does feel that way,” said Bower. “There’s not many people besides the people in that room that believe we can win that game. I don’t see the point of relying on other people outside that room. We believe we should win that game.”
“Nobody but the people in the locker room believe we have a chance at winning this game,” said Heller. “We trust each other. We’ve done it for 15 weeks in a row and why not one more.”
Marion Local Flyers
Anyone who knows football in Ohio knows Marion Local. There hasn’t been a more successful program at any level in the state since the turn of the millennia. The Flyers have made the postseason 27 times, 25 of which coming from 1999 on — 2004 was the only year they didn’t suit up in Week 11.
Marion Local hasn’t lost a game in more than four years, the last coming on Nov. 6, 2020 against New Bremen in the regional championship. Over their current stretch of postseason dominance, the Flyers have made it to state 20 times and won a state-record 14 championships and finished as runner-up three times. It’s a program that was featured in the New York Times for its ability to thrive even in a time when participation across the country has steadily dropped.
Justin Knouff, Marion Local, QB
You don’t get this far without a quality quarterback under center. Knouff has completed 71.7% of his passes (119-of-166) for 2,067 yards, 26 touchdowns, and five interceptions — keep in mind most starters sat in the second half of games for a majority of the season. He’s also capable of making plays with his legs having rushed for 603 yards and six touchdowns.
The Flyers have outscored opponents 2,526-310 with 33 shutouts over the last 63 games with an average score of 40.1 — 4.9 this season they haven’t allowed a single point in the first quarter. Entering Friday’s state championship, Marion Local is 107-12 all-time in the postseason averaging 3.96 wins … and to put that into perspective, prior to 2021’s expansion to 16 teams, four wins would’ve been good enough to compete for a state title.
NOTE: TIM GOODWIN COACHED ALL 15 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP since 2000.
Marion Local Class of 2025 football seniors:
(64) wins (0) losses (4) State Championships (4) MAC Championships (34) shutouts (2,098) points scored (32.8 ppg) (271) points allowed (4.3 ppg) (1) time allowing 30+ pts (4) times allowing 20+ pts (9) times allowing 10+ pts Flyers are now Top 20 All-Time in longest HSFB Win Streaks in US History.
Did you know…
The Flyers last loss was in 2020, the COVID season, to New Bremen 24-17 on November 6th during the playoffs. The Cardinals would go on to win the Ohio Div. VII State title.
“Science doesn’t tell us why the Big Bang happened, how the singularity occurred in the first place, or why it exploded when it did. It tells us there is objective scientific evidence that it occurred.
Ah, the famous number 42! This answer comes from Douglas Adams’ science fiction series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In the story, a supercomputer named Deep Thought is asked to find the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. After much calculation, Deep Thought concludes that the answer is simply “42.”
However, the actual question to which 42 is the answer remains unknown, leaving a humorous and philosophical mystery. Fans of the series often use “42” as a playful reference to the absurdity and complexity of life.
It’s a fun reminder that sometimes, the most profound questions don’t always have straightforward answers—or maybe the answers are simpler than we think!
Ah, the famous number 42! This answer comes from Douglas Adams’ science fiction series, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In the story, a supercomputer named Deep Thought is asked to find the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. After much calculation, Deep Thought concludes that the answer is simply “42.”
However, the actual question to which 42 is the answer remains unknown, leaving a humorous and philosophical mystery. Fans of the series often use “42” as a playful reference to the absurdity and complexity of life.
It’s a fun reminder that sometimes, the most profound questions don’t always have straightforward answers—or maybe the answers are simpler than we think!
Fortunately for us, there are a number of possible candidate questions — in hindsight — that we can exploit for their potential to truly be the ultimate question, given the fact that we know the solution is truly 42. Could any of these possibilities have truly been what the supercomputer was asked about when it came to uncovering the answer to the ultimate question about life, the Universe, and everything? Although no one can be sure, even in Douglas Adams’ fictional world, here are five possible questions that rank among the most fascinating. The answer to each of them truly is 42, and perhaps you might find one of them to be truly compelling.
As photographed from an airplane, direct sunlight shining on a “wall of water droplets” produced by rain clouds can not only produce a full-circle primary rainbow, but a full-circle secondary as well, creating a circular double rainbow. A primary rainbow, created when a light source shines on water droplets, always creates a 42-degree arc, offset with respect to the light source that creates it. A secondary rainbow can be seen above it as well with a larger-angle offset. The 42 degree angle is universal to rainbows created in air by fresh water droplets.
1.) At how many degrees, offset from the Sun (or any light source), is a rainbow produced?
There are many ways to create a rainbow: from raindrops to waterfalls to garden hoses to mist to the spray from bodies of water. Yet all of them have a few things in common. They all arise from light reflecting off of water droplets. They all originate in a direction that opposes the direction of a light source. And they all — so long as they’re created from droplets of fresh water — have a peak intensity spread out in an arc-like shape, a shape that’s actually a fraction of a full circle, which is offset 42° from the direction of the light source.
Every primary rainbow you’ve ever seen displays the same angle-of-arc. If there’s a rainbow that the Sun is creating, looking exactly opposite to the direction of the Sun and look for a circle (or portion of a circle) that’s offset from that direction by 42° will enable you to see it. The reason is simple physics: light behaves as a ray, the speed of light in water is different than the speed of light in air, and when light enters or leaves that medium, it always bends in a predictable way determined by the angle-of-incidence at the interface between the water and the air.
When light transitions from vacuum (or air) into a water droplet, it first refracts, then reflects off of the back, and at last refracts back into vacuum (or air). The angle that the incoming light makes with the outgoing light always peaks at an angle of 42 degrees, explaining why rainbows always make the same angle in the sky.
When light moves from air into water, different wavelengths bend at slightly different angles, causing the colors to disperse. When light strikes the back of the water droplet (and it’s a very good assumption that all droplets are perfectly spherical), it reflects at a known, predictable angle. And when it re-emerges back into the air, each wavelength moves off at a specific angle-of-offset from the original: from just under 41° to a little under 43° over the visible light spectrum, with the peak intensity occurring at 42°.
Any planet that possesses:
a thin atmosphere,
that’s transparent to visible light,
where light travels at close to the speed of light in a vacuum,
and where pure water droplets exist in the atmosphere,
will see that same 42° rainbow phenomenon. However, it’s not truly universal: if the atmosphere has a non-negligible index of refraction, if droplets are elliptical instead of spherical, if they’re made of saltwater instead of freshwater, if they’re made of a different substance entirely, or if the species viewing the rainbow doesn’t see the same wavelengths of light that we do, then the rainbow can occur at an entirely different angle.
Perhaps these limitations imply that we should consider a different candidate question instead.
These diagrams, known as young diagrams, show how to partition various numbers mathematically. (This shows the partitions for numbers 1 through 8.) For the number 1, there is 1 way to partition it (1); for 2, there are 2 (2, 1+1); for 3, there are 3 (1+1+1, 1+2, 3), but for 4 there are 5, for 5 there are 7, etc. Going farther up the ladder, there are exactly 42 unique ways to partition the number 10.
2.) What is the number of ways that you can partition the number 10?
It’s easy to think of different ways to divide up any number. If you have three oranges, and two people, for example, you can give all three to person 1, all three to person 2, one to person 1 and two to person 2, or 1.5 to each of the two people. In mathematics, however, partitioning has a very special meaning: how many unique ways can you add up positive integers to create a certain number? Positive integers means that no one can get zero or a fractional number; unique means that splitting things up into “2 and 1” is the same as splitting them into “1 and 2.”
For an example of partitioning, there are 7 ways to partition the number 5:
1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1,
1 + 1 + 1 + 2,
1 + 1 + 3,
1 + 2 + 2,
1 + 4,
2 + 3,
5.
For the number 10, with all the different ways to do it, there are a total of 42 unique ways to do it. Fascinatingly, this isn’t the only relationship between 10 and 42, as 10 can be written as 2¹ + 2³, while 42 can be written as 2¹ + 2³ + 2⁵. If we were to write these numbers in binary, “10” would become 1010, while “42” would become 101010. These numbers and these relationships play important roles in both mathematics and physics (particularly through group theory), with 42 having some fascinating properties completely independent of any measured physical phenomena.
The equation 1 = 1/a + 1/b + 1/c + 1/d only has a few unique solutions if a, b, c, and d are all different, positive integers. The largest number for which there exists a solution to this equation, perhaps surprisingly, is the number 42.
3.) What is the largest integer whose reciprocal, along with three other unique integer reciprocals, adds up to 1?
Perhaps the Universe, as some have conjectured, really is driven by mathematical relationships at a core level, with those relationships underpinning the physical laws of reality. For those of you who think that might be the case, here’s a math puzzle for you to consider:
Can you find 4 positive integers, like a, b, c, and d, where (1/a) + (1/b) + (1/c) + (1/d) = 1?
It’s easy to do if you make certain choices. For example, if a, b, c, and d all equal 4, this is very simple, as ¼ + ¼ + ¼ + ¼ = 1. If you even allow just some of the numbers (a, b, c, d) to be equal, there are many possible solutions:
a=2, b=4, and c=d=8;
a=b=3, c=4, d=12;
a=2, b=c=d=6;
and so on.
But if you insist that all four of these numbers must be different from one another, there are very few unique solutions. In fact, you can work out the math to find the absolute the largest number that you can use to try and satisfy this equation that will still give you a solution.
The answer? 42.
If you let a=2, b=3, and c=7, then d=42 and the equation works. Interestingly enough, that’s not the only relationship between those four numbers, as 2, 3, and 7 are the prime factors of 42: 42 = 2 × 3 × 7. In even a purely mathematical sense, 42 has some truly fascinating properties.
A 15-year study conducted by the European Southern Observatory tracked the positions and orbital parameters of 14,000 stars near the Sun, reconstructing how they would have orbited, along with the Sun, over the past 250,000,000 years: the amount of time to complete approximately 1 galactic year. The position of the galactic center does not change relative to the motion of stars around it, and our Sun’s orbit is notably elliptical, rather than perfectly circular.
4.) How many times will the Sun orbit the Milky Way before catastrophically transforming into a red giant?
This is one of the most fun facts about our Solar System, where the planets revolve around the Sun and the Sun, like all stars, orbits around center of the Milky Way. Like all stars, there’s only a finite amount of time that the Sun will live, with various milestones marking its critical transitions. It takes tens of millions of years for the proto-stellar nebula that gives rise to our Solar System to form our Sun, which officially becomes a star once nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium ignites in its core.
After that, the Sun will chug along for billions of years until the core runs out of hydrogen fuel, at which point it will begin to swell into a red giant, burning hydrogen in a shell until the helium core ignites. During this phase, Mercury and Venus will certainly be engulfed, and it’s likely (but not certain) that the Earth will be swallowed as well. Icy worlds, like Triton, Pluto, and most of the Kuiper belt objects, will sublimate away almost entirely. This red giant phase will last for hundreds of millions of years while helium burns to completion. At that point, the Sun will blow off its outer layers, dying in a planetary nebula/white dwarf combination.
As the Sun becomes a true red giant, expanding to over 100 times its current size as its interior contracts and heats up to fuse helium, the Earth itself may be swallowed or engulfed, but will definitely be roasted as never before. The Sun’s outer layers will swell, but the exact details of its evolution, and how those changes will affect the orbits of the planets, still have large uncertainties in them. Mercury and Venus will definitely be swallowed by the Sun, but Earth will be very close to the border of survival/engulfment.
Yet, throughout all of these changes, the Sun and our Solar System will continue to orbit around the Milky Way’s center, completing a full orbit every ~250 million years or so. The time to return to our starting point is known as a galactic year, and has about a ~10% uncertainty on how long it actually takes. Meanwhile, in term of stellar evolution, we are quite confident that the Sun will last roughly 10–12 billion years from the moment nuclear fusion first ignites in its core until the red giant phase begins, a track that we’re just a hair over 4.5 billion years into, at present.
So, how many galactic years will the Sun (and Earth) experience before the Sun swells into a red giant and planet Earth is (likely) completely destroyed?
The Answer: 42.
Although justifiable estimates typically range from about 40 to 45 — driven largely by an approximately ~10% uncertainty in how fast the Sun is orbiting around the Milky Way’s center — 42 is an answer that’s extremely consistent with the best data we have. It may yet turn out to be the exact answer to this question, although superior data will be required to know for certain.
However, that’s an Earth-centric perspective, and perhaps we’d want to look to the greater Universe for an even grander question to consider.
The European Space Agency’s space-based Gaia mission has mapped out the three-dimensional positions and locations of more than one billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy: the most of all-time. Looking toward the center of the Milky Way, Gaia reveals both light-blocking and luminous features that are scientifically and visually fascinating.
5.) How fast is the Universe expanding today?
Right now, we exist in the Universe precisely 13.8 billion years after the earliest stages of the hot Big Bang occurred. For all of cosmic time, the Universe has been expanding and cooling, and that means it’s been getting less dense. In the expanding Universe, the thing that determines your expansion rate is the density of all the different forms of energy combined, so an expanding Universe filled with matter and radiation will have the expansion inevitably slow down over time.
The expansion rate, today, is slower than it’s ever been at any time in the past, and continues to gradually slow down. If we wait for a long enough time, the matter and radiation density will drop to zero, with only dark energy — the energy inherent to space itself — remaining. By convention (and for no other reason), we typically report the expansion rate as a speed (how fast something appears to be moving) per unit distance (based on how far away it is from us): in units of kilometers-per-second, per megaparsec.
In those units, we have two classes of measurements that point to inconsistent values: measurements that are based on relics imprinted from early times, like fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background or galaxy clustering in the large-scale structure, and measurements that come from individual sources at late cosmic times, like supernovae or gravitational lenses. The first set of measurements yields a value of 67–68 km/s/Mpc, while the second yields a value of 73–74 km/s/Mpc. Figuring out what the resolution to this puzzle is — i.e., which group is correct, and why — is one of modern cosmology’s biggest challenges.
But if the first group is right, then perhaps the answer to the question of how fast the Universe is expanding really is 42.
That’s because we have to remember this fact: Douglas Adams was writing in 20th century England, where distances are measured in miles, not kilometers! If we perform that conversion, from kilometers into miles, then that first value of the expansion rate, which was 67-68 km/s/Mpc, becomes 42 mi/s/Mpc, which could easily be construed as the answer to the biggest question in entire cosmos: how fast is the Universe expanding right now? Although more science will be required to truly resolve this cosmic conundrum, “42” is well within the realm of possible — and may even be the most probable of — answers.
A series of different groups seeking to measure the expansion rate of the Universe, along with their color-coded results. Note how there’s a large discrepancy between early-time (top two) and late-time (other) results, with the error bars being much larger on each of the late-time options. Although these two classes of measurements give incompatible results, no one knows the resolution to why the Universe appears to expand differently depending on the method used to measure the expansion.
All told, there are many questions that 42 is clearly the answer to, but only a few of those questions have fundamental, universal, or cosmic implications. If it truly is the answer to the ultimate question about life, the Universe, and everything, we owe it to ourselves to try and reconstruct just what that question might be. From mathematics to physics, five vital questions emerge that legitimately have 42 as their answer.
Rainbows always emerge offset at an angle of 42° relative to the light source that creates them.
The number 10 can be mathematically partitioned exactly 42 different ways.
42 is the largest number whose reciprocal, added with three other unique positive integers, sums to exactly 1.
42 is the number of galactic years that the Sun-Earth system will survive before it’s destroyed.
And 42 is the expansion rate of the entire Universe, in miles-per-second-per-megaparsec.
As it turns out, “42” really could be the answer to the vaunted ultimate question about life, the Universe, and everything.
Now, it’s up to us to figure out what that pesky, ultimate question actually is!
The U.S. govt brings in about $5 trillion per year in revenue from taxes, fees and tariffs.
How TF do you spend > $4T in one year? We need receipts. Stat. The US govt is on pace to spend about $1.4 trillion for interest payments on the $36 trillion in debt during 2025.
That will be about 28% of all govt revenue going to interest payments.With consumers in debt for another $17 Trillion that’s a nuclear submarine load of money (not a boat load anymore )
The answer is that the debtor (who purchases tangible goods/real estate with debt) is rewarded while the savers are punished due to holding dollars that diminish in value over time. This doesn’t end well!
“Free Fallin” is one of those elegiac tracks that Petty would occasionally drop amidst all the peppy rockers to prove just how versatile his songwriting gifts could be. Only this one somehow cut a little deeper, the fact that the singer was now more of a gritty veteran than a fierce upstart adding the weight of painful experience to the lyrics. The narrator surveys the sights of Southern California while painting a quick portrait of an American girl not unlike ones Petty had detailed in many other classics. But this is not a devotional love song, as the punchline to the second verse reveals: “I’m a bad boy ‘cause I don’t even miss her/ I’m a bad boy for breaking her heart.”
Lynne’s backing vocals provide a dreamy touch to the proceedings, while Jones occasionally snaps us out of the reverie with his snare. That’s how you take a three-chord song and turn it into something dynamic and affecting. And the title is a double-edged sword. There is a sense of freedom in it, but there’s also the notion that the narrator has reached a point in his life where there’s nowhere to go but down.
I remember back in the ’70s the John Birch Societyhad a billboard along a local highway asking for, “No Trillion Dollar National Debt.” It seems quaint now.
Put this chart alongside population growth Historical Population Change Data (1910-2020) in the same period. —– the only reason governments are used by powerful people is to make them rich!!! That’s why a constitutionalist demands we follow that document to the letter and NO more!!
US Debt in 2028: 51.1 Trillion
Total US Debt is going to be 120.1 Trillion
ThereforeBankruptcy is already here.
How sustainable is this tho? Like yeah you have USD which allows you to make more debt than any other countries. But when is it too much? When it reaches 100% of GDP or twice or more? It doesn’t seem good. The Government should take care of it before it gets bad for everyone.
The first question is whether the bank owners’ share capital is invested in long-term loans so that the banks become a form of mortgage company? If the answer is yes, it means that growth is limited, innovations are limited, companies’ expansion is limited and work is limited, which among other things results in lower taxes.
Question two then becomes how do you change growth, jobs and welfare – most likely the answer will be that a change in the nation depends on the banks’ shareholders and possible expansion.
Question three becomes – what has been the benefit of over 30 years of speculative economy, for the nation and for the individual citizen?
Not only can you see the increase in debt, but the increase in extra-governmental power, mainly military contractors.
US Total Assets is way more than the debt, so why worry?
We can sell some of our assets. Also ask billionaires to chip in as they sent all the jobs out and hollowed out the tax base. Ask them to bring jobs back or chip in to pay off the debt. I remember My Greatest teacher My father always told me this type of living ….. Combine that with a Cultural Shift he witnessed in his lifetime. The Interstate Highway System is one advancement he marveled at mostly with the extra expense of buying at convenience stores would be the ruination of God’s Green Creation until his death April 3, 2006.
Cultural shifts occurring nationwide
Also bolstered the move toward 24-hour retailing in a way that the activity on the coasts could not sustain on its own. President Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act in 1956, authorizing the interstate highway system and 41,000 miles of new roads, all of which required round-the-clock fuel for both cars and their drivers. The Tonight Show with Steve Allen premiered in 1954, encouraging viewers to stay up past midnight.
Americans were working later hours, too; Lenard says that early 24-hour stores tended to open by places like factories and hospitals, where shift work was becoming more common. And the same Time magazine article noted: “Speeding the trend is the fact that the defense program, drawing more & more wives into the labor force, makes it harder for women to shop during the day.”
Store owners said they get a cross section—people while avoiding the late-afternoon jam in the store and on the highways, families with a car available only for shopping at night; women whose husbands are home from work taking care of their children; someone who needs milk or aspirin in an emergency; partygoers buying snacks sometimes several times during the night; men coming off late work shifts; families that want their whole day free for recreation; and even some insomniacs. Barring, obviously, the dated gender dynamics, that list would look pretty much the same in 2016.
The Evolution of Convenience Stores:
From Mom-and-pop Shops to Modern Chains. When you’re walking down the aisle of your local convenience store, you may not think twice about its surprisingly rich history. Packed with decades of quick and iconic snacks, drinks, and other essentials, C-stores are the epitome of American culture.
But convenience stores have come a long way from their humble beginnings as 20th-century mom-and-pop shops. Instead of going to a butcher for your meat, a greengrocer for fruits and vegetables, a fishmonger for fish, or a dry goods store for clothing and toiletries, we have the luxury of getting it all in one place.
Today, modern chains and family-owned convenience stores are scattered across the world, offering a wider variety of goods and services we have never seen before. Let’s go back to where it all started.
The Mom-and-Pop Era
The dawn of supermarkets began in 1915, when Vincent Astor, a descendant of the wealthy Astor family, invested $750,000 into creating the open-air Astor Market on 95th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Selling just meats, flowers, and produce, it wasn’t well-received by the public and eventually closed down in 1917.
Though unsuccessful, other states were experimenting with longer store hours and expanding their inventory in 1915-1920. Instead of just selling one niche category of items, the typical milkman or butcher would extend to other products beyond their territory and enter into competition with each other.
One said instance is the famous Piggly Wiggly, which originated in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1916. It introduced many modern features we take for granted, like self-checkout, aisles, shopping carts, and service lanes. The founder, Clarence Sanders, received a patent and expanded to 1,267 Piggly Wiggly stores by 1923.
7-Eleven Emerges
Though early mom-and-pop shops were somewhat a semblance of modern supermarkets, they were not truly convenience stores yet. They were small and cramped but affordable. In 1927, Tote’m Stores, otherwise modernly known as 7-Eleven, was founded in Dallas, Texas. Thanks to the establishment’s popularity, it rapidly grew in the 1950s, when convenience stores really started to shine—as well as Slurpees and Big Gulps. By the 1970s, there were over 5,00 7-Eleven stores across the United States.
The name change to 7-Eleven in 1946 is due to their newfound extended hours of operation: 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. In 1963, some even stayed open 24 hours a day. They’ve been growing their Big Gulp sizes ever since.
Product Lines Turn Conventional
In the 1970s and 1980s, store owners hatched the genius idea of selling more than groceries. We saw the first coupons appearing in newspapers and the first Spectra-Physics model A barcode scanner was invented in a supermarket in Troy, Ohio, in 1974. Using a Universal Product Code (UPC), the scanners read each product’s unique information and instantly add it to the customer’s bill. A quick and simple staple of the customer experience, the first item ever scanned was a pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum.
With quicker checkouts and more products like cigarettes, lottery tickets, snacks, sodas, and other high-demand convenience items, convenience stores ultimately became more popular and practical. And in 1986, the first touchscreen POS system and its software were presented at that year’s Las Vegas computer show by Comdex. With efficiency even more streamlined, they have become the one-stop-shop for everything from coffee to snacks to drinks to everything in between in the 1990s.
Chains Become Status-Quo
The 1990s were a time of big corporations arising and humble stores turning into conglomerate chains to compete. During the prime time of capitalism, companies like Circle K, Sheetz, and Wawa kicked production into high gear and quickly opened shops at rest stops, residential areas, and busy main roads. Stores became bigger, products better, and prices at an all-time low.
This was, by no surprise, extremely attractive to the public. Economically, the 1990s were in a recession, and people cared more about saving money than spending high prices on everyday items. The chains took advantage of that, running small stores out of business and capitalizing on the current market. That’s why in 2009, four chains were selling 50% of all groceries: Costco, Walmart, Kroger, and SuperValu. These supermarket whales innovated customer incentives to keep their profit always in the green, like loyalty cards and discounts.
The Digital Age
And that brings us to today, the Digital Age. This is the era of instant gratification through our smartphones. Many stores now sport mobile apps which allow customers to order and pay for items online and in advance and participate in rewards programs. Some stores even offer delivery services like Amazon Fresh, which delivers your groceries and convenience store goods right to your front door.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic
Shaped digitalization further, spouting a 220% increase in Amazon sales and similar success on other e-commerce platforms. Now, everyone wants to make purchasing quick and easy, and in advance, whether or not they are physically in the store. It’s not unconventional to see a C-store giving you the option to order your coffee, bakery items, or other products on your phone before picking them up in the store. Beyond that, wholesale convenience store suppliers always keep C-stores inventory-stocked, and many partner with delivery services like Uber Eats to allow for seamless delivery.
The Future of Convenience Stores
So, what’s next for convenience stores? One possibility is that they will continue to expand their product lines to a healthier selection involving fresh produce and organic foods. Another scenario would be that they become hyper-focused on digital technology as we move towards an AI-generated world. No matter what the future holds, convenience store owners must be ready to adapt.
1. Of all the deceptive sales techniques the U.S. government has used on the American people, one of them—the Social Security Act—gets far too little attention. Buckle up because this is a wild ride.
2. In 1935, the American people were sold a bill of goods. They were told, “Pay into this system, and it’ll be YOUR money for retirement.” Sounds great, right?
3. But here’s where it gets juicy, in a really ugly way. Two years later, when the Supreme Court was considering the constitutionality of the Social Security Act, the government did a complete 180.
4. The government—through Assistant Attorney General Robert Jackson—argued in essence, “Oh no, this isn’t YOUR money at all. This is a TAX, and we can do whatever we want with it.” Classic bait and switch.
5. Let’s not forget the ruling in Helvering v. Davis, where the Supreme Court upheld the Social Security Act by embracing the government’s argument / admission that what people pay into Social Security is tax revenue—available to be used as Congress may direct—and not at all money belonging to those who paid it.
6. So, to summarize: the proponents of the Social Security Act told American workers that what they paid into the system would remain *their* money, not the government’s—to get Congress to pass it—and then told the courts the exact opposite when defending the Act’s constitutionality. The Supreme Court accepted the government’s argument, to the great detriment of the American people.
7. Now, let’s talk about what happens to “your money” once it’s in the government’s hands. Spoiler alert: it’s not managed like your IRA or 401(k).
8. First of all, this money doesn’t sit in a nice, individual account with your name on it. No, it goes into a huge account called the “Social Security Trust Fund.”
9. But here’s the kicker—the government routinely raids this fund. Yes, you heard that right. They take “your money” and use it for whatever the current Congress deems “necessary.”
10. Every few years, there’s talk in Congress about “saving Social Security.” I’ve introduced and cosponsored a number of measures over the years that would fix it. But most in Congress show little desire to fix it, and are instead constantly looking for ways to “borrow” from it—with no plan to put it back.
11. And the returns? Forget about compound interest or stock market gains. Your “investment” in Social Security can give you a return lower than inflation.
12. If you had put the same amount into literally ANYTHING else—a mutual fund, real estate, even a savings account—you’d be better off by the time you reached retirement age, even if the government kept some of it!
13. Do the math: with Social Security, you’re looking at a return that’s pathetic compared to market averages. It’s not even an investment; it’s a tax.
14. And let’s talk about how this system is set up to fail. The demographic shift? More retirees, fewer workers. It’s almost fair to compare it to a Ponzi scheme that’s running out of new investors.
15. Every dollar you pay into Social Security, only to see it gobbled up by the government itself, is a dollar you can’t invest in your own future. It’s government dependency at its worst.
16. Remember, this isn’t just about retirement. It’s about independence, about controlling your own destiny. With Social Security, you control nothing.
17. The government promises you security but gives you dependency. It promises ownership but gives you a tax receipt.
18. And don’t get me started on the management. The Social Security Administration is a bureaucratic behemoth, not exactly known for its efficiency or innovation.
19. If you think your money is safe there, you’re in for a rude awakening. The mismanagement, the waste, the deception—it’s all on display.
20. So, what’s the solution? We need real, genuine reform. Within the Social Security system, Americans should be able to invest in their own future, and not be shackled by the worst parts of this outdated, mismanaged system
21. It’s time we acknowledge the truth: Social Security as it now exists isn’t a retirement plan; it’s a tax plan with retirement benefits as an afterthought.
22. We were sold a dream, but received a nightmare. It’s time for a wake-up call. We need real reform.
23. It’s time for Americans to know the true history of the Social Security Act. The more people learn the truth, the more they’ll start demanding answers, options, and real reform from Congress. Please help spread the word.
24. The history of the Social Security Act—which sadly must include the deceptive manner in which it was sold to the American people—is yet another reason why America’s century-long era of progressive government must be brought to a close.
Start with not giving and using it for people who don’t deserve it.
Social Security is, and always has been, a welfare tax for old people. The main problem with it is the larger societal problem that our fertility rate is falling while old people are living longer, so we won’t have enough young people to take care of the elderly.
Don’t forget that prior to 1984, Social Security wasn’t taxed. So, if it was sold as a tax and is now being taxed, we are being double taxed on it. It’s definitely a ponzi scheme. I would rather invest in what I want than trust the government with my hard earned money.
Social Security, Medicare, and entitlements make up 2/3 of the federal budget. They can never be cut. Annual interest on the federal debt is higher than both Defense and Medicare. Trump has his work cut out for him.
Yet bureaucrats will keep screaming “they want to take away your Social Security”, but it’s actually socialist security that grew the Federal government by taxing us in a way we would want (well, some of us). We can do much better with OUR money. Namaste, you can read it here:
But the individual who borrowed has to pay back the student loan. Even though the increase in paychecks represented by investing in a higher education would mean More Tax Taken Out of that income.
I genuinely am interested in hearing your thoughts on how we’re going to save it because I’m 48 and my generation isn’t getting it because of these “raids”. It’s going to be insolvent in like eight years. Shouldn’t we be preparing to get it solvent, like, yesterday?
Problem is, what about all the people that are already collecting Social Security and have no other income than that?
Not to mention the implied threat behind arguments for increased in migration all boil down to populating the ever widening base of the social security pyramid scheme. Maybe create a system for every American that runs in the same way as the government’s tsp, or better yet, just allow individuals to join the tsp regardless of their work affiliation, make it portable and allow private employers to also contribute with that as their pension system. Better returns than social security or any 401k / IRA, lower costs, and no one can argue the government is forcing Americans to line the pockets of Wall Street since it will be managed by a trust instead of finance bro parasites. The government can put effective guardrails that prevent people with less financial literacy from blowing up their life savings, or never building it at all, well at the same time providing them more freedom than trash social security would. However I feel the lobbyists and Wall Street that own significant numbers of congress people’s votes, would never allow a positive reform like that to be made. The problem is whatever you do, it will get hijacked from a bad system that doesn’t really help the way it should, to a worse one that becomes a compelled welfare program for the poor, hungry, unloved hedge fund classes.
As a person who, after 45 years of working, is nearing the age deemed as “full” retirement, I know I’ll never be able to live on the pittence allotted to me. Despite maxing out on contributions nearly my whole career, after facing some devastating financial happenings, I’ll be forced to continue working into my 70s just to survive. They have stolen and mismanaged EVERYTHING.
If you give every American child a trust fund with 10k invested in a mutual fund when they are born, with the condition that they can not withdraw until 65, they will have 1.5M at 8% and almost 5M at 10% . Make provisions for death, etc. But that makes so much more sense to me.
My concern about SS privatization plans—having lived through the stripping of pensions and the stuttering implementation of 401ks—is that they will ignore the needs of people a decade or less from retirement, who don’t have lobbies, in favor of the fully retired & 30-somethings.
I am halfway through my working years and would gladly give up my social security retirement if it meant I got to keep the 12% of my income taken between myself and my employer every year. The Gov can keep the first 20 years of my SS tax.
Well, I demand that the Government return all the money it stole all these years. We’ll take it in installments if necessary. Put a freeze on all pork spending to start with.
1000% agree. That said, if not required to participate you look across the country with a nasty homeless rate because millions wont save. A safety net is required.
I started Hedgeye in 2008. Back then, the U.S. economy was suffering its biggest downturn since the Great Depression and we were bearish. The stock market fell over 50% from October 2007 to March 2009. Bullish pundits on , walked A LOT of investors off a cliff. American retirement plans lost ~$2 trillion in the 15 months between October 2007 and December 2008, approximately a 20% decline.
The bursting of the housing bubble caused home prices to fall 30% on average from their peak in 2006 to their bottom in 2009. It wiped out trillions of dollars in household wealth. U.S. unemployment doubled from about 5% in December 2007 to 10% in October 2009. The Financial Crisis exposed the worst of Wall Street—rampant conflicts of interest, lack of accountability and opaqueness. Millions of unsuspecting Americans were caught in the carnage. Back then… Hedgeye didn’t have the reach it has today. I’m proud to say we have real impact today. In addition to the $10 trillion in assets our institutional clients manage, we’re helping over 100,000 individual investors preserve, protect and grow their hard-earned capital. If you want to develop a proven process, sharpen your skills and elevate your investing game, we’re here to help. I’ve spent half my life perfecting my investing process for family and clients. I’m sharing that blueprint—for FREE.
It’s called, “Master the Market: A Hedge Fund Manager’s Guide to Process and Profit.” Download it for free today. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
One hell of a sales pitch by Keith McCullough. Bravo to you. Great communication skills. But J P Morgan and Morgan Stanley and Lloyds of London my investment firms have done better than you. Jump in sometime with the big fish.
My farmer and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary just before harvest last year. Today I wanted to share my best advice about how to be a good farm wife for all of the new or soon to be farm wives out there.
How to Be a Farm Wife :
What to Expect when you Marry a Farmer.
Welcome! I ‘m Lindsey a farm wife and mom of three. I’m learning how to make my home a sanctuary for my busy family, cook like my mom, and enjoy life to the fullest on our farm. I’m sharing what I’ve learned as I go and I hope you’ll join me!
When I met my husband in college, we went on two dinner dates and I was already falling hard. And it was a good thing, because our third date was in the lambing barn. From that point on our dates looked like pizza in a hay field, checking lambs at midnight, or riding the buddy seat in the combine. This was a good preview of what life as a farm wife would look like.
We of course had occasional nights out for a concert or to celebrate a wedding with friends, but much of our time together was dictated by the farm. I learned that farming is a lifestyle and not just a job. And I learned, rather slowly, to keep my boots in my car.
What does a farmer’s wife do?
The work of a farmer’s wife is really crucial to every farm operation, but it looks different for every farming family. Many farm wives work a job off of the farm to provide insurance and additional income for the family.
In many cases farm wives are responsible for managing the home by cooking and cleaning and caring for children in their husband’s absence. They support the farm by picking up parts, shuffling equipment from field to field, admin and bookkeeping tasks, and feeding the farm crew during busy seasons.
Some farm wives contribute directly to the daily operation of the farm. Working alongside their spouse, these women manage and care for livestock, market and sell crops, and operate equipment. No matter what mix of tasks a farm wife takes on, it is safe to say that they play an important role in the success of the farm.
Is it hard being a farmer’s wife?
When I was a newlywed I looked forward to making and eating dinner with my husband at the end of the day. I didn’t realize his day didn’t end until 10 pm. Like seven days a week nine months a year. I got a similarly shocking reality check when our first daughter was born in early October. My husband was back in the combine the day after we brought her home.
Farming is definitely a more demanding job than most and because of that being a farmer’s wife comes with plenty of unique challenges. Solo-parenting, holidays on your own, birthdays in a corn field, constant mud and unknown stains; all my farm wives will know these struggles well. The key is managing expectations and knowing how to be flexible. Prioritize communication with your spouse and keep your priorities aligned. Remember to keep a sense of humor when things feel overwhelming or stressful.
The good news is there are numerous benefits to farming and it is important to take time to remember how lucky we are to be able to live this rural life with our spouse.
Benefits of Marrying a Farmer
My favorite thing about being married to a farmer is seeing my husband do the job he loves so much everyday. I love celebrating his successes and watching him chase his dream. I also love the history and legacy of living and working on a generational farm.
Our kids are exposed to fresh air and nature and have a living example of entrepreneurship. I love that living on the farm allows us to be so close to our families. Farming has benefited our family in so many ways and I hope the same is true for yours!
How can I be a good Farm wife?
As the years have passed I’ve learned some really valuable farm wife lessons and I am definitely living up to decent farm wife at this point! I’ve listed out some actionable tips for being a good farm wife for all of the newly minted (or soon to be) farm wives out there.
Develop a good record and filing system for all of the farm receipts.
Get comfortable flying solo and saying no when you’re too busy. This gets harder when you have kids, but is even more important!
Make time for your own hobbies.
Create good systems for managing your home. There will be more laundry than you can imagine!
Get to know where all of the farms, fields and barns are located.
Go visit your farmer and participate when you can, and bring the kids!
Be your farmer’s cheerleader. He has to make a lot of difficult decisions and it can be stressful in a job with little certainty. Let him know that you believe in him and have his back.
Give yourself grace, no one is doing it all and you don’t have to either!
I’m so glad you joined me today and I just want to say if you’re newly married to a farmer or about to be, welcome to the club! We’re so glad to have you! I sincerely hope this was helpful or encouraging to you and would love to hear from you in the comments!
Being a farmer’s wife is “a full-time, seven-day-a-week deal,” one participant said. (Photo by StockMediaSeller on Shutterstock)
Why America’s farm women are reaching their breaking point
Story by StudyFinds Staff
ATHENS, Ga. — Alarming new research paints a heart wrenching picture of what it’s really like to be the ‘farmer’s wife’. Behind the picturesque scenes of American family farms lies a complex reality for the women married to male farmers, one filled with overwhelming responsibilities, emotional labor, and a unique form of isolation that researchers are only beginning to understand.
An eye-opening new study from the University of Georgia pulls back the curtain on the mental health challenges faced by these women, revealing that their roles extend far beyond traditional expectations.
The study’s title, “A Great Life, if You Can Stand It,” captures the bittersweet nature of farm life for these women. While they deeply value their rural lifestyle and take pride in their contributions to family farming, they also shoulder tremendous burdens that often go unrecognized by the broader society.
Consider this: Most Americans know farming is stressful, and farmers face one of the highest suicide rates of any occupation. But what about the women who stand beside them? These women aren’t just supporting players—they’re juggling multiple demanding roles while serving as the emotional backbone of their families and farms.
‘Matter of national security that farmers survive’
Led by Anna Scheyett, a professor at the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work, the research team conducted six focus groups with 29 women married to farmers across rural Georgia. These participants, ranging in age from 25 to 72 years old, painted a vivid picture of their daily lives through candid discussions about their roles, stresses, and coping strategies.
What emerged was a portrait of women wearing multiple hats – and sometimes drowning under their weight. The researchers identified five major themes in these women’s experiences: everything-but-farming, farming work, managing emotions, being misunderstood and lonely, and coping strategies.
“If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” warns Scheyett. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”
The everything-but-farming role encompasses all activities that enable farmers to focus solely on crop production. These women manage households, care for children and elderly parents, maintain yards, and often work full-time jobs off the farm. As one participant starkly put it: “If it has to do with our kids or my household… that is 100% on me.”
‘He doesn’t look at the bank account’
Because farming is inherently uncertain—one bad frost can spell disaster for the season’s crops—two-thirds of the women in the study work full-time outside the home. This provides crucial financial stability and health insurance for their families, but it also significantly increases their mental load.
Yet despite this designation, these women are actually deeply involved in farm work too. Many drive tractors, help with harvests and manage the farm’s finances. More than half reported being responsible for the farm’s bookkeeping, a task many found particularly stressful as they were often self-taught and carried the heavy burden of knowing the farm’s complete financial picture.
“He doesn’t look at the bank account … as far as looking at it on paper, what we have coming in and what we have going out, I carry that burden,” one woman said.
More than half of women married to farmers admit they wind up overseeing the bookkeeping for the (Photo by StockMediaSeller on Shutterstock)
Perhaps most striking is these women’s role as emotional managers for their entire families. The study found they feel responsible for maintaining positive atmospheres while absorbing their husbands’ stress and negative emotions, supporting them through difficulties, and mediating tensions between fathers and children during stressful farming periods.
The study revealed a particularly poignant form of stress these women face: role isolation. “What a lot of people don’t realize is as a farmer’s wife… you can’t get off at 5 o’clock and go and hang out with your friends like ‘normal’… because it’s a full-time, seven day a week deal,” one participant explained. As another simply stated, “It is really easy to get sad.”
The study revealed a particularly poignant form of stress these women face: role isolation. Unlike their urban or suburban counterparts, women married to farmers often feel fundamentally misunderstood by others who don’t grasp their lifestyle. Missing birthday parties, having disrupted holidays during planting or harvest seasons, and being unable to maintain regular social connections creates a unique form of loneliness.
While it might seem like being the “woman of the farm” is an idyllic lifestyle, new research shows it’s a stressful, burdensome position. (Photo by StockMediaSeller on Shutterstock)
To cope with these challenges, these women have developed various strategies.
Many turn to faith for support, with over half specifically mentioning the importance of their Christian faith. They also find joy and pride in their lifestyle, particularly in raising children on the farm. One wife noted how lucky she felt because “we live right here in the midst of it all, so there’s no life like it.”
“They are passionate about farming and farm life, proud of what their families are doing, proud of their kids, proud of how hard their husbands are working and how hard they’re all working.” Interestingly, one common coping mechanism identified was the tendency to minimize their own contributions and challenges.
One participant described herself as just the “gopher” despite managing bookkeeping and making all town-based purchases for the farm. Women frequently rationalized their husbands’ stress-induced negative behaviors by attributing them to exhaustion or external pressures.
Mental health is a major issue for American farmers, as the industry holds one of the highest suicide rates in the country. (Photo by SKT Studio on Shutterstock)
‘If we don’t support these families, we’re in big trouble’
The study’s findings, published in the journal Rural Mental Health, have important implications for rural mental health practitioners and policymakers. Scheyett suggests several potential solutions, including using Extension services to connect women and reduce isolation. Another crucial need is addressing the scarcity of rural childcare, which is both hard to find and extremely expensive.
According to Scheyett, policies increasing access to quality and affordable care “would give the women a little bit of breathing space.” At its heart, this research reveals a group of women who are vital to American agriculture yet often invisible in discussions about farming stress and mental health.
“I ultimately would hope that people can move beyond whatever stereotypes they have about farming and families who farm,” Scheyett says. “If we don’t support these families, we’re in big trouble as a country because we won’t be able to generate our food.”
Singer Eva Cassidy didn’t live to see her enduring success; Annapolis finally honors her – Capital Gazette – It is one of the most poignant, tragic stories in modern music. A shy singer with a voice of calming purity tries to make her mark on the world with a unique take on jazz, folk and soul standards. To the amazement of her fellow musicians, in spite of her unerringly perfect pitch and one-in-a-million talent, nobody is interested.
She plays to half-empty clubs in and around Washington DC, tries and fails to get record companies behind her and, after cashing in a small pension from her job at a garden centre, releases an album in 1996 called Live at Blues Alley — six months before dying of cancer at the age of 33. Then, in August 1998, Terry Wogan featured her rendition of Autumn Leaves on his Radio 2 breakfast show, followed by Over the Rainbow, which has become her signature song, a week later.
“Sometimes there was nobody there, sometimes a few people, and it was extremely rare that anyone would stop what they were doing and listen,” says Lenny Williams, a pianist and soundtrack composer who performed with Cassidy as part of a small jazz ensemble in the Washington DC clubs. “We thought, man, she’s the greatest singer we’ve ever heard and we can’t even break through happy hour?”
The latest development in the posthumous career of Eva Cassidy, whose estate is managed by her parents, Hugh and Barbara, is perhaps the most surprising of all. Cassidy’s handful of recordings are intimate and lo-fi; either just her voice against an acoustic guitar or with a band at live dates, where the sound of glasses clinking and people chatting threatens to subsume the onstage performance.
Now, using the same AI technology that brought clarity to the Beatles’ Let it Be sessions in Get Back, Cassidy’s voice has been isolated and set against the London Symphony Orchestra in new arrangements by the composer Christopher Willis. Given that he is more used to writing scores for films like X-Men: First Class and The Death of Stalin than asking classical musicians to play against a late singer’s voice, you have to wonder about the challenges it brought up.
“I was doubtful about the idea, just as a lot of people hearing about the project might be,” says Willis, who has come over from his home in Pasadena, Los Angeles, to talk about it over a coffee in Bar Italia in Soho. “You don’t sense an absence or a lack in Eva Cassidy’s songs, and in traditional arranging a singer has certainly not performed the material first. But then I applied my film score mindset, where the music finds opportunities to tell the story without getting in the way of the dialogue. You don’t mirror everything the character does. Otherwise it becomes like Looney Tunes.”
Instead it has become like Vaughan Williams: pastoral arrangements with a sense of subtlety and solemnity, featuring top lines that stay frequently on one note for a length of time while the harmonies move about underneath. Willis realised that to put big Hollywood-style arrangements against moments where Cassidy is baring her soul — such as on her exquisite rendition of Christine McVie’s Songbird — would be hideously sentimental. So he applied restraint instead.
“Sometimes it might be grotesque for me to shadow everything she does, so I don’t do too much,” Willis explains. “At other times I let her get a little bit swallowed up by the orchestra. You follow what she’s doing and decide how to respond.”
None of this is easy. Orchestras keep in time by following the music on the page, but Cassidy came from the jazz and folk tradition, where tempo tends to be rather more elastic. On the traditional ballad Waly Waly Cassidy evokes a languid, lamenting mood by being forever behind the beat; not easy for an orchestra to play along to. Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Tall Trees in Georgia, a poetic ballad of abandonment, proved the biggest challenge of all. “Eva strums the guitar freely, so I have no idea about what the song means metrically. I’ve ended up with what looks like a cartoon score because I’m changing the tempo and metre all the time just to fit in.”
Then there is the ethical question of adding to the music of someone who is no longer around to have a say in the matter. Alongside speaking to her family, and to musicians like Williams and her former bassist/producer (and biggest champion) Chris Biondo, Willis dealt with the situation by tailoring his arrangements not just to Cassidy’s voice but also to her personality.
“I was particularly concerned about the soul songs like Ain’t No Sunshine and People Get Ready because from what I gather, Eva Cassidy was not one to dress up like Cher and strut across the stage,” he says. “She was a quiet person, always thanking the audience and the band. Her publicity photos were taken in the countryside, probably because she worked in a garden centre. But going by the voice alone you can take inspiration from people she was like, such as Ella Fitzgerald, who did a song the same way whether she was with a small band or an orchestra. Besides, we’re used to only hearing minimal Eva Cassidy arrangements because those were the ones that worked in her lifetime. She did try out other styles.”
Cassidy had a chameleon-like quality that meant she could apply her perfectly pitched voice to any kind of material. “Adele is a great singer but she only has a couple of gears. You can’t imagine her doing Danny Boy,” Williams says by comparison. “The remarkable thing about Eva is how eclectic she was. She would play around with a standard like Over the Rainbow, then do a straight read of Stormy Monday and knock it out of the park. Then she would go into an intimate folk song like Waly Waly and bring this sense of loss and regret.”
According to Williams, Cassidy was the antithesis of a self-promoter. “That went against all her instincts, and it became a stumbling block because she was so critical of her own voice, comparing herself to other singers in town and saying: ‘Maybe one day I’ll be as good as them.’ At the same time, she had the kind of ambition that you want in a singer: to be as good as she could be. I’ve worked with plenty of people who don’t work on their voice but work hard at being famous, and my advice is always: do less social media and more practice. If you take care of your craft, people will notice when you are functioning at a high level.”
At least you hope they will. For the Blues Alley concert (12 live performances) Cassidy’s band members invited everyone they knew and told them to clap loudly so it sounded like there were a lot of people in the place. They did a few gigs at a Washington DC club called Fleetwood’s — owned by Mick Fleetwood, appropriately — and by Williams’s estimation it was two-thirds full on a typical night, with around 20 percent of the audience there to hear Cassidy. Now she has the London Symphony Orchestra getting behind some of her most beloved songs.
You have to wonder: what is it about Eva Cassidy’s voice that keeps on connecting so deeply, 27 years after her death?
“Eva brought calmness to people,” Williams concludes. “Maybe it is a new age quality, a spiritual vibe about her voice that people love, especially when the world is too much for them. Chris Biondo had such belief in her talent that he was sure it would happen for her one day, and he was right. It is a beautiful ending to an unspeakable tragedy.”
Watch “The Life & Death of EVA CASSIDY” on YouTube
At the time of her death, Eva Cassidy was unknown outside her home town of Washington, DC. She was only 33 when she died from bone cancer, just three months after diagnosis. Thankfully for us, this singer left behind an extraordinary legacy.
Fans of Cassidy say that she could sing anything – folk, blues, pop, jazz, R&B, gospel – and make it sound like it was the only music that mattered. You only have to hear her haunting interpretation of Somewhere Over The Rainbow to know this is true. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve listened to Cassidy singing that song and I still get goosebumps.
Then there’s Cassidy’s version of Sting’s Fields of Gold. And don’t get me started on Songbird. Cassidy takes Fleetwood Mac’s lyrics and makes them her own. I defy anyway to be unmoved when this young woman sings “For you, there’ll be no crying, For you, the sun will be shining, ‘Cause I feel that when I’m with you, It’s alright”.
It might seem hard to believe now but it was Terry Wogan who discovered Cassidy and was responsible for promoting Somewhere Over The Rainbow to the number one slot. The compilation album Songbird also climbed to the top of the UK Albums Charts, almost three years after its initial release.
Today, Cassidy has a devoted following, among them television and theatre actress Nicole Faraday, best known for her portrayal of Snowball Merriman in ITV’s Bad Girls. Faraday’s acting credits are too numerous to mention here but you’ll probably recognise her from, among other shows, Casualty, Emmerdale and The Bill.
However, Faraday’s passion is for singing: she performs regularly and originated the role of Shell Dockley in the musical of Bad Girls. Now she is appearing in her third tour as Eva Cassidy in Over the Rainbow.
“I’ve been performing Eva Cassidy’s material anyway as a singer and actress in my own cabarets so it’s something that’s very close to my heart,” Faraday tells Northern Soul. “It’s unbelievable that she died in our own lifetime. In Europe, she’s second only to Elvis in posthumous record sales. That’s amazing.”
Since its first performance in 2004, Over the Rainbow has garnered five star reviews and enjoyed a number of revivals. It charts Cassidy’s life, from her childhood growing up in a musical family, all the way to her premature death in 1996. “Before she died, Eva was getting local notoriety in Washington,” explains Faraday. “But she never had a recording deal, probably because she had so many different styles.”
“Well, I’ve sung Songbird at quite a few of my friends’ weddings. It is my favourite to sing. I like singing sad songs, for instance I really like Autumn Leaves. That happens towards the end of the show. I think it’s so beautiful, it always makes me nearly cry, and people feel emotional about it.
“She did so many different styles, from gospel-type stuff through to folk to rock, jazz and blues. For me, it’s a big challenge singing 30-odd of her songs every night. I like to get them as accurate as possible.
Faraday says that Cassidy fans travel from the continent to see Over the Rainbow, particularly from places like Sweden and Holland where her songs are very popular. In fact, Cassidy is the only female artist to have had three consecutive posthumous number one albums. Her third album, American Tune, knocked Robbie Williams off the top spot in 2003 while Songbird, released in 1998, sold more than 100,000 in two years. And all this despite performing no more than 100 gigs in her lifetime, many to no more than 30 people.
It’s also worth remembering that the majority of Cassidy’s released recordings were only ever intended to be demo tapes and were often done in just one take. When you consider how much of today’s music is edited, honed and fussed with, it’s testament to Cassidy’s enormous talent that, nearly 20 years after her death, they still sound so pure, so moving and so perfect.
“Eva’s is a tragic story aligned with the fact that her music was so beautiful,” says Faraday. “She was a sensitive person who worried that people didn’t like her enough, and she was shy. She never really wanted to be on show. I wonder how she would have felt if she knew how hugely famous she is now.
Do check out the live recording, Live at Blues Alley. For more info, click here
Amy Winehouse (born September 14, 1983, London, England—died age 27 on July 23, 2011, London) was an English singer-songwriter who skyrocketed to fame after the release of her critically acclaimed multiple Grammy Award-winning album Back to Black (2006). However, her tempestuous love life and substance use stalled her recording career even as they made her a favorite subject of tabloid journalism.
CoachGoodwin Named AFCA Regional Winner Power Of Influence Award
Date: November 26, 2024 – Author: statelinesportsnetwork
2024 AFCA/AFCF Regional Power of Influence Award winners are: Region 1: Dave Hearn, Delmar (Del.) High School; Region 2: Roosevelt Nelson, Crestwood (S.C.) High School; Region 3: Tim Goodwin, Marion Local (Ohio) High School; Region 4: Mike O’Dwyer, Limon (Colo.) High School; and Region 5: Steve Pyne, Central Catholic (Ore.) High School.
Five of the best high school coaches in the nation highlight today’s announcement of the 2024 AFCA Regional Power of Influence Award winners. This award is given jointly by the American Football Coaches Association®. These winners will be honored during the 2025 AFCA Convention, which will be held on January 12-14, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.
This is the sixth year that the AFCA has recognized regional winners for the Power of Influence Award. The award was created as a way for the AFCA® and AFCF® to honor deserving high school football coaches. Coaches who receive this award are recognized for their impact on their team, as well as the legacy they leave with the school and surrounding community. This award is not based on wins and losses; however, it should be noted that coaches of powerful influence have longevity and success.
The winners are selected by members of the AFCF Board of Directors.
Tim Goodwinhas been the head football coach at Marion Local High School in Ohio since 1999. He began his career as a coach and math teacher, and in 2011, he added the role of High School Principal. A native of Ohio, Goodwin has established a legendary coaching legacy in the state, with 14 state championships (a record in Ohio), three state runner-up finishes, and three state semifinal appearances.
Over his career, he has compiled an impressive 323-48 record and is currently on a 62-game win streak. In 2024, Marion Local is 14-0 and in the state semifinals against Columbus Grove (Ohio) High School on Friday, Nov. 29. Goodwin holds his players to lofty standards, placing a strong emphasis on building a family-oriented environment. This commitment to fostering relationships and leadership within his team is reflected in both his players’ respect for him and his remarkable accomplishments. Marion Local seeks to remain perfect, break record
In 2011, Goodwin also began serving as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Huddle Leader, using his position to help student-athletes grow spiritually. Through FCA, he has led numerous service projects, instilling a sense of community and service among his athletes. Goodwin’s leadership challenges both his staff and students to excel in all areas of life, setting the tone for the entire school.
He believes that a community reflects the example set by its leaders, which is why he is intentional about modeling behavior that lifts others up. This philosophy has earned him the deep respect of his staff, athletes, and the broader community, who believe in his powerful influence and ability to inspire everyone he encounters. New York Times catches MAC-tosis | Yappi Sports: THE Ohio Prep Sports Authority | A Curtain Call – YouTube 😉
Dave Hearn has dedicated 34 years to Delmar High School, beginning his career in 1991 as head football and baseball coach. Over the course of his tenure, he has earned the distinction of Delaware State Coach of the Year three times—1997, 2002, and 2017—and has received numerous other prestigious awards in recognition of his coaching excellence.
Throughout his career, Coach Hearn has faced many challenges, but his leadership has been a constant source of strength for his teams. One of the most poignant examples of his resilience came in 2023, when two Delmar football players were involved in a tragic car accident. Tragically, one player lost his life, and the other was hospitalized. Just five days later, Coach Hearn guided his team—grieving and emotionally shaken—to an away victory, demonstrating his remarkable ability to lead his players through adversity.
Coach Hearn’s influence extends far beyond the football field. He uses sports as a platform to foster both athletic and academic growth in his players, and also teaching lessons of perseverance, discipline, and teamwork. Known for his strong community involvement, Coach Hearn does not just attend sporting events but actively participates in all aspects of school life, from theatre performances to local parades.
He also organizes initiatives that promote leadership and teamwork among the youth, further strengthening the bond between Delmar High School and the broader community. With a career record of 252-112 as a head coach, Coach Hearn continues to excel. This season, his team went 9-2, with a perfect 5-0 record in district play, further cementing his legacy as one of Delaware’s most respected and impactful coaches.
Roosevelt Nelson A South Carolina native, stayed in his home state for college, graduating from Clemson University in 2005. He began his coaching career immediately, with stops at both the high school and middle school levels before becoming the head coach at Crestwood High School in 2014. Over his 11 years as head coach, Nelson has guided sixty players to college football scholarships, including one NFL player and two CFL players.
In 2023, he was named 3A Lower State Coach of the Year and Region 6 3A Coach of the Year, among numerous other accolades throughout his coaching career. Coach Nelson has been an active member of the South Carolina Football Coaches Association (SCFCA) since 2006, where he continues to contribute today. SCFCA Executive Director Jimmy Noonan has praised Nelson for his exceptional leadership, work ethic, loyalty, and unwavering commitment to the school and community.
Under Nelson’s guidance, the Crestwood football program has become known for its emphasis on community service and mentorship, particularly in their town of Sumter. The 2023 season was a testament to Nelson’s success and leadership at Crestwood. The team finished with an impressive 11-2 record, won the conference championship, and saw eight players sign to play college football. On and off the field, Coach Nelson uses his faith in God and the support of his family to inspire students in the classroom and on the gridiron, motivating them to reach their academic and athletic goals.
Mike O’Dwyer has been at Limon High School in Colorado for 40 years, serving as the head coach for the past 23 years. During his tenure, he has compiled an outstanding record of 229-39. Under his leadership, Limon has won eight state championships and been the state runner-up twice. Additionally, O’Dwyer has led his teams to the state playoffs every single year he has been head coach.
Coach O’Dwyer became a member of the Colorado High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) in 1985 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2004, he was named All-Colorado Football Coach of the Year, among many other accolades throughout his illustrious career. Known for his ability to make a lasting impact on his players, Coach O’Dwyer teaches life lessons that extend beyond the football field, guiding his athletes to succeed not only in the classroom but in all areas of life. His dedication to his family, friends, community, and business ventures is well recognized. A respected member of the Limon community, Coach O’Dwyer also serves on the local bank’s board, runs his own successful insurance company, and has been a member and past president of the Rotary Club for 33 years. His unwavering commitment to his players and the Limon community has fostered a deep sense of loyalty and respect, reflected in the success of his teams and the numerous accolades he has earned over the years.
Steve Pyne was the head coach at Central Catholic High School in Oregon for 21 years through the 2023 season, amassing an impressive record of 195-54. He is currently the head coach at Union (Wash.) High School. With 36 years of high school football coaching experience, 26 of which have been as a head coach, he holds a career record of 218-78. In his time at Central Catholic, Pyne led the team to five 6A State Championships and one runner-up finish.
A dedicated member of the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association (OACA) for 36 years, Pyne has been named 6A Football Coach of the Year five times. He has also been honored as the Oregonian 6A Football Coach of the Year three times, among numerous other accolades. His success on the field is also reflected in the number of players he has helped send to the NFL, a testament to his skill and dedication as a coach.
At the heart of Coach Pyne’s philosophy is the program’s mission statement: “To educate, inform, and create young adults of compassion and empathy who will contribute positively to their families, schools, communities, and beyond. We will empower them to be their very best – personally, professionally, and relationally.”
This mission drives Coach Pyne’s approach to coaching, as he believes in fostering relationships with his players that extend beyond football. He views himself as the product of those around him, acknowledging that the community, administrators, teachers, parents, coaches, and players all contribute to the power of influence he is able to wield.
When Beata Halassy learned in summer 2020 that her breast cancer had come back, she made a bold decision. As a virologist at the University of Zagreb Homepage in Croatia, she knew that researchers around the world were testing virus-based cancer treatments that could avoid the destructive side effects of conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
Halassy, who studies viruses for a living, decided to test some on herself, it worked.
With her oncologists’ approval, she made herself a test subject and worked with colleagues to inject herself with two types of viruses that she cultivated in a lab, the science journal Nature reported. Over several weeks, her homegrown remedy caused her tumor to shrink, enabling surgeons to remove it.
In a study documenting her experiment, published August in the peer-reviewed journal “Vaccines,” Halassy and her co-authors said that the “unconventional” treatment has left her in remission for almost four years.
Bioethicists told The Washington Post they were split on Halassy’s decision to enter the storied, controversial tradition of self-experimentation in medicine and publish her results. While Halassy was uniquely qualified to weigh the decision and carry out her tests on herself, she still may have lacked the perspective of an objective researcher as her own test subject, they said. And her study of just one patient isn’t likely to provide enough information to draw conclusions about the treatments she tested.
“From my perspective, self experimentation is not fundamentally unethical,” said Alta Charo, a professor emerita of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. “It may be unwise. It may indeed be tainted by an unrealistic set of expectations.
… But I don’t see it as fundamentally unethical.”
Halassy and two of her co-authors did not respond to requests for comment, but Nature identified her as the researcher who was her own test subject. Halassy’s study describes the person treated as “a 50-year-old self-experimenting female virologist,” and she is the only person on the author list who meets that description.
Studies exploring the use of viruses to treat cancer date back over a decade. The Food and Drug Administration first approved a form of oncolytic virus therapy, the use of viruses modified to specifically attack cancer cells, to treat skin cancer in 2015. Research since then has sought to widen the range of cancers that OVT can be applied to. But clinical trials for novel treatments like OVT are sometimes limited, Halassy and her co-authors wrote in their study, by being carried out first on patients whose health may have already been affected by conventional treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Halassy was in a different situation. She was several years removed from her breast-cancer diagnosis in 2016 and her subsequent chemotherapy. And she was a rare subject who had the means and the know-how to produce and administer her own experimental viral treatment.
Halassy and her colleagues used two types of viruses — a strain of measles used in vaccines, and vesicular stomatitis virus, which affects livestock — that she prepared in her own lab, according to the study. The viruses were injected directly into the tumor at various intervals over about six weeks.
Around 11 days into the regimen, Halassy’s tumor began to shrink and continued to diminish gradually until it was small enough to be surgically excised after the six weeks of injections ended. It was a sterling result, the study states — the treatment came with few serious side effects, save for a day when Halassy developed a fever, and enabled surgeons to remove the tumor without further growth or spread in her body.
Halassy’s breast cancer had returned twice after her 2016 diagnosis. After the viral treatment, she has been cancer-free for 45 months, the study says. With the experiment, Halassy joins a long line of researchers who have tested medical theories on themselves. Their attempts have led to significant medical breakthroughs — and in some cases, harm or death.
Jesse Lazear, an American physician studying yellow fever in the 19th century, died of the disease after allowing himself to be bitten by a mosquito to prove how it was transmitted. Peruvian medical student Daniel Carrión died in 1885 after infecting himself with Carrión’s disease, which was later named after him.
Halassy’s self-experimentation didn’t appear to be nearly as risky as those fatal examples, said Hank Greely, the director of Stanford University’s Center for Law and the Biosciences. But he said critics might still question if a researcher in Halassy’s position could give informed consent to be a test subject and evaluate the potential benefits and harms of an experiment without bias.
“In general, it is viewed as a bad idea for physicians to take care of their [family members] or themselves, because they lack the objectivity necessary to do a good job,” Greely said. “The same thing holds for self-experimentation.”
Halassy and her co-authors wrote that the study did not undergo a review by an ethics committee because it involved self-experimentation, and that the subject was “fully aware of her illness as well as of available therapies” and “wanted to try an innovative approach in a scientifically sound way.”
Opponents of the practice also argue that publicizing cases like Halassy’s risks encouraging less qualified patients to self-experiment in more dangerous ways, said Greely and Charo, the bioethics professor. They added that Halassy’s study of her response to OVT was likely too limited in scope to contribute reliably to research on the treatment.
“Not every experiment is research,” Charo said.
Halassy and her co-authors acknowledged in the study that it was “isolated” but said it should encourage clinical trials to assess the efficacy of OVT in early stages of cancer. …. They also said the circumstances of Halassy’s study would be very difficult to repeat.
“The study was feasible only due to the unique situation in which the patient was also an expert virologist,” the study states.
John Woods · 15/11/2024
· Society Scientists of Hungarian origin can treat cancer with viruses?
The miraculous recovery of Dr Beáta Halassy Dr Beáta Halassy, a virologist at the University of Zagreb, has made headlines with her extraordinary personal battle against breast cancer. When her cancer returned four years ago, she refused another gruelling round of chemotherapy. Instead, she turned to her scientific expertise to create a genetically engineered virus treatment that exposed cancerous cells to her immune system.
The results? Four years of cancer-free living.
Yet, despite her remarkable recovery, she continues to face scepticism from the scientific community. No more chemotherapy Dr Beáta Halassy’s ordeal began with a stage-three breast cancer diagnosis, a life-threatening condition with a significant risk of metastasis. Following several rounds of aggressive chemotherapy and a mastectomy, her cancer returned in 2020.
This time, she rejected conventional treatments, opting instead to rely on her decades of experience as a virologist Dr Halassy developed a “virus cocktail” that she injected directly into the tumour in her chest. Initially, the tumour grew, leaving her desperate. But after 50 days, it began to shrink, eventually becoming small enough to be surgically removed.
How does Beáta Halassy’s virus cocktail work?
Dr Beáta Halassy’s success lies in her innovative use of genetically engineered viruses. Combining strains of measles and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), her cocktail specifically targeted cancerous cells. These viruses penetrated the malignant cells, effectively “opening” them so her immune system could identify and destroy them. Crucially, the viruses replicated only within cancerous cells, leaving healthy tissue unharmed.
The experimental nature of her treatment came with significant risks. To start with the least concerning one, she could have lost valuable weeks if the treatment had failed. Additionally, there was a serious danger of developing fatal complications, such as blood clots in her lungs. Despite these risks, her oncologist agreed to monitor the process and stood ready to intervene with conventional chemotherapy if necessary. Fortunately, no such intervention was required.
Dr Halassy has now been cancer-free for four years.
During this time, she has worked to publish her findings and share the story of her recovery. However, gaining scientific and medical recognition has proven challenging. Ethical questions from medical journals The therapy Dr Halassy used is part of an emerging experimental field called oncolytic virotherapy (OVT). “The strain of measles she chose is widely used in childhood vaccines, and the strain of VSV induces mild influenza-like symptoms”, Daily Mail wrote.
Medical journals initially refused to publish her results, citing ethical concerns. Critics feared that her success story might encourage cancer patients to pursue similar unregulated treatments, despite potential risks. Jacob Sherkow, a law and medical ethics researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, commented on these concerns.
“Her paper, finally published in the journal Vaccines, should have addressed the ethical implications of such a treatment,” he said. Dr Beáta Halassy herself acknowledged the limitations of her approach. “Maybe they do not always work as well as other treatments, but they are certainly less destructive,” she told Uncharted Territories. Hope for a new era in cancer treatment The potential impact of Dr Halassy’s treatment is vast.
With hundreds of thousands of patients suffering from advanced cancers—such as breast, lung, prostate, and melanoma—there is an urgent need for less toxic and more effective therapies. Dr Halassy’s case provides a glimpse of what might be possible. “Breast cancer remains the most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women, accounting for 2.3 million diagnoses and 670,000 deaths in 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)”, Medical Notes wrote.
Hungarian Roots
While Dr Halassy’s groundbreaking work is based in Croatia, she is of Hungarian descent, a detail noted by the Hungarian outlet Ripost. Her story is not only a testament to scientific ingenuity but also to the courage and determination of one woman to rewrite the rules of her own treatment.
The question now is whether regulatory authorities and the broader scientific community will embrace oncolytic virotherapy, potentially bringing this innovative approach to patients in need around the world.
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In January when we start deporting all illegals, California will save $5 Billion a year. California should be forced to rebate half of that ($2.5 billion) to the US treasury.
From 11/7 to about 11/14 they were averaging about 20,000-25,000 ballots per hour.
After a crazy spike during the day of 11/15 to a rate of 64,000 ballots/hour, they slowed down dramatically to between about 2,000-6,000 ballots/hour for the majority of this past week. They only recently picked it up again to 14.5k ballots/hour for the period between 2:23pm and 6:34pm pacific time today.
1) I don’t get the spike, seems like that must be an error. If not, that’s potentially a red flag in the reporting
2) I have no idea why the pace would slow so dramatically when the ballots left are dwindling.
It seems like they are almost trying to draw this out as long as possible.
Wake Up America, This Is The Cost Of Voting Democrat
“Gavin Newsom and California Democrats are spending $5 billion this year to give free healthcare to all illegal immigrants”
Climate change caused an increase in homelessness in California by 37% and $24Billion to disappear into thin air. Climate change caused a $100Billion surplus to turn into a $73Billion deficit in 365 days. Now your kids won’t get a quality education in California. They can fund LGBTQ initiatives to be forced into the curriculum though, rest assured, the money they’re pulling from schools won’t affect that. “To balance the budget, they’re proposing to cut $500 million to school facilities”
Thousands FLEE California because of its HORRIFIC school systems.
My son is disabled and normally gets “ESY” summer school but they basically cancelled it this year. They are literally taking away funding from disabled kids to give it to illegal invaders.
“The State is facing an almost $73 billion deficit”
The Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index enables business leaders, government policymakers, and taxpayers to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare. While there are many ways to show how much is collected in taxes by state governments, the Index is designed to show how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.
The absence of a major tax is a common factor among many of the top 10 states. Property taxes and unemployment insurance taxes are levied in every state, but there are several states that do without one or more of the major taxes: the corporate income tax the individual income tax or the sales tax Nevada, South Dakota, and Wyoming have no corporate or individual income tax (though Nevada imposes gross receipts taxes); Alaska has no individual income or state-level sales tax; Florida has no individual income tax; and New Hampshire and Montana have no sales tax.
This does not mean, however, that a state cannot rank in the top 10 while still levying all the major taxes. Indiana and Utah, for example, levy all the major tax types but do so with low rates on broad bases.
The 10 lowest-ranked, or worst, states in this year’s Index are:
The states in the bottom 10 tend to have a number of afflictions in common: complex, nonneutral taxes with comparatively high rates. New Jersey, for example, is hampered by some of the highest property tax burdens in the country, has the highest-rate corporate income taxes in the country, and has one of the highest-rate individual income taxes. Additionally, the state has a particularly aggressive treatment of international income, levies an inheritance tax and maintains some of the nation’s worst-structured individual income taxes.
Table 1. 2024
State Business Tax Climate Index Ranks and Component Tax Ranks
State
Overall Rank
Corporate Tax Rank
Individual Income Tax Rank
Sales Tax Rank
Property Tax Rank
Unemployment Insurance Tax Rank
Alabama
39
19
33
50
17
15
Alaska
3
26
1
5
27
48
Arizona
14
22
9
41
11
10
Arkansas
38
28
37
44
24
24
California
48
45
49
47
22
30
Colorado
27
7
13
40
38
44
Connecticut
47
30
46
23
50
26
Delaware
21
50
43
2
6
1
Florida
4
11
1
19
13
4
Georgia
32
9
35
28
28
34
Hawaii
42
18
47
26
31
41
Idaho
16
27
17
11
2
47
Illinois
37
43
14
39
45
42
Indiana
10
12
16
18
3
25
Iowa
33
29
22
15
41
32
Kansas
26
21
27
29
18
16
Kentucky
18
15
18
13
23
46
Louisiana
40
34
29
48
21
13
Maine
34
35
26
8
46
29
Maryland
45
33
45
34
42
43
Massachusetts
46
36
44
14
47
50
Michigan
11
20
12
12
26
7
Minnesota
44
47
42
31
32
31
Mississippi
20
8
19
25
37
5
Missouri
12
3
20
30
9
3
Montana
5
23
28
3
19
22
Nebraska
30
31
32
9
40
9
Nevada
7
25
5
45
4
45
New Hampshire
6
44
10
1
43
40
New Jersey
50
48
48
43
44
37
New Mexico
23
13
36
35
1
11
New York
49
24
50
42
49
39
North Carolina
9
5
15
20
12
6
North Dakota
17
10
21
32
7
14
Ohio
36
39
40
36
5
12
Oklahoma
19
4
24
38
15
2
Oregon
28
49
41
4
20
38
Pennsylvania
31
41
23
16
14
21
Rhode Island
41
40
31
22
35
49
South Carolina
29
6
30
33
36
27
South Dakota
2
1
1
27
30
35
Tennessee
15
42
6
46
33
20
Texas
13
46
7
37
39
8
Utah
8
14
11
21
8
17
Vermont
43
38
39
17
48
18
Virginia
25
16
34
10
29
36
Washington
35
37
8
49
25
19
West Virginia
22
17
25
24
10
33
Wisconsin
24
32
38
6
16
28
Wyoming
1
1
1
7
34
23
District of Columbia
48
30
48
38
50
38
Note: A rank of 1 is best, 50 is worst. Rankings do not average to the total. States without a tax rank equally as 1. DC’s score and rank do not affect other states. The report shows tax systems as of July 1, 2023 (the beginning of Fiscal Year 2024). Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors 2024 | Cato Institute
Trump’s margins of victory in seven swing states were significantly larger than the closest states in the 2020 Trump-Biden race and every other close presidential contest this century [Evan Vucci/AP]
How Big was Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory?
Donald Trump won both the Electoral College and the popular vote in the 2024 presidential election. In fact, Trump this year became only the second Republican to win the popular vote since 1988. The vast majority of counties saw their margins shift in Trump’s direction, both in places where Republicans historically do well and places where Democrats generally have an edge.
At the same time, Trump’s margins – both in raw votes and percentages – were small by historical standards, even for the past quarter century, when close elections have been the rule, including the 2000 Florida recount election and Trump’s previous two races in 2016 and 2020.
Trump’s victory came without a big boost for down-ballot Republicans. The current narrow margin in the House of Representatives is poised to remain, and Democrats won four Senate races in key battleground states even as Vice President Kamala Harris lost those states to Trump.
During his election night victory party, Trump declared that “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
“Inflation, immigration, some evidence of backlash against Democrats on identity politics, crime, education, and a public mood moving in a conservative direction all suggested a Republican win,” he said.
Still, “I’m inclined to view it as a close election in which there was enough anti-Democratic sentiment to carry the day.”
Here’s how Trump’s victory sizes up against other recent presidential elections:
Trump won all seven of this year’s battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Harris, by contrast, fared worse in these states than President Joe Biden did four years earlier.
Trump’s margins of victory in those seven states were wider – easily – than the margins of the seven closest states in the 2020 Trump-Biden election, and every close presidential contest this century.
Including votes counted through November 19, Trump’s collective margin in this year’s seven battleground states was about 760,000. By comparison, the 2000 election between George W Bush and Al Gore – which the Supreme Court decided after a weeklong Florida recount – produced collective margins of about 46,000 in the seven closest states, or about one-sixteenth as much as in 2024.
Trump also performed well by historical standards for someone running against the White House-occupying party. Going back to 1932, only six other candidates from the out-of-power party have taken as large a share of the vote as Trump’s nearly 50 percent. The others notching a higher percentage were Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, Dwight Eisenhower in 1952, Jimmy Carter in 1976, Ronald Reagan in 1980, Barack Obama in 2008 and Biden in 2020.
Trump’s margin of victory in the Electoral College – 312 out of 538 – was nowhere near the landslide wins of Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Richard Nixon in 1972 or Reagan in 1984. But it was bigger than four of the seven elections this century, including Biden’s four years earlier.
Where Trump’s victory looks historically small
Other metrics, however, show Trump’s victory was narrow.
Measured both by vote percentages and raw votes, Trump’s margin of victory is modest, even compared with this century’s other close elections.
For votes counted through November 20, Trump’s margin over Harris was 1.62 percent. That’s smaller than any winner since Bush in 2000, when the margin was 0.51 percent. Going back further, only John F Kennedy in 1960 and Nixon in 1968 won the popular vote by smaller margins, 0.17 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively.
Using raw votes, Trump’s margin was also smaller than in any election going back to 2000. At about 2.5 million, it was the fifth-smallest popular vote margin since 1960.
In both percentage and raw votes, Trump’s margin is on pace to be less than half of what Biden achieved four years earlier.
Meanwhile, there is ample evidence that Trump’s strong performance at the top of the ticket did not boost down-ballot candidates much.
Of the seven battleground states, five also held Senate races and one had a gubernatorial contest. The Republican candidate won Pennsylvania’s Senate race, but the Democrat won the Senate races in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin, and the gubernatorial contest in North Carolina. In North Carolina, Democrats also won the races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and superintendent of public instruction and were narrowly leading in a state Supreme Court race.
As the final handful of races are called, the US House is poised to end up at or near its margin from the previous two years, producing a Republican margin that is narrow by historical standards. In the state legislatures, Republicans gained only modestly in chamber control, while Democrats made inroads in other legislatures.
“Trump’s victory was solid and convincing,” said Barry Burden, a University of Wisconsin political scientist. Still, “the 2024 elections were not a general endorsement of the Republican Party. Many Republicans down ballot did not perform as well as Trump.”
So far this century, elections have been not only close, but have flipped back and forth between the parties. Since 2000, control of the presidency, the Senate or the House has flipped 16 times in 13 election cycles.
If this pattern holds, the Democrats could be well-positioned for the 2026 midterms and perhaps the 2028 presidential race. “Voters have been unhappy with the state of the country,” said Jack Pitney, a Claremont McKenna College political scientist. “Unless Trump creates an abrupt change in the national mood, Democrats have a good chance at a successful 2026 midterm.” Big enough. A win is a win, be it by 1 or 1 billion doesn’t matter. Maybe the question should be why did Harris lose? Until democrats answer that they’ll continue to lose.
Democrats won’t see the Whitehouse in the foreseeable future unless they drop their radical progressive ways. Americans rejected their boy and girl stance, butchering our children, wasteful spending..which we will truly only know about after Musk/Vivak expose taxpayer waste..Bidenflation, Obama’s back door rule..We are spending 6 trillion a year while only bringing in 4.5 trillion..
Those 80000 IRS people were hired for a reason, instead of cutting spending, democrats fully support shaking down the struggling middle class for the difference. The state run media is in shambles after their failed coup against Trump was not believed by the American people..Even with Kamala Harris’ Vote Total being over 74 million which I feel can’t be true.
I personally question Trump’s plan for mass deportation of immigrants.
When we need good workers in this country to keep the economy and new housing starts going while supporting the retirees in this country. I understand TRUMP’s Tariffs may cause more inflation and Fossil fuels may be outdated, because when he left his first term after we were cheated out of that because Biden stayed hidden in his basement. Auto makers did exhibit a willingness to introduce EVs into the marketplace even without the demand for them.
I will never understand the disconnect. But I can tell you that as a teacher I see literacy rates plummeting and I believe that also has a lot to do with many parents not being able to critically think. According to the National Literacy Institute: 21% of adults in the US are illiterate in 2024. 54% of adults have a literacy below a 6th-grade level (20% are below 5th-grade level). Massachusetts was the state with the highest rate of child literacy. New Mexico was the state with the lowest child literacy rate. New Hampshire was the state with the highest percentage of adults considered literate. The state with the lowest adult literacy rate was California. And it’s only going to get worse with this new administration.
Critically think? Nothing but a made up term for a higher level of common sense so what really needs to be done is ensure CRT, DEI, and other “woke” progressive nonsense is removed and replaced with a pure STEM curriculum with a dose of higher level common sense . You are exactly correct, and thus the reason for Obama and Biden for 12 of the last 16 years …. Rapist and fraudster? Bill Clinton didn’t get elected again?
“Over the last decade-and-a-half, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Harris-Walz, and a host of other self-described elites have variously invented a wide range of smears and slurs—but about whom exactly? Who are these people that leftwing politicians have so vehemently derided—and why? They include Trump supporters, of course, or what Biden also dubbed “ultra-MAGAs” and Tim Walz called “fascists,” now without the prior qualifying prefix “semi.” In general, these adjectives of disdain denote about half the country according to the results of what will soon be the last three presidential elections.
This half is more rural than urban, characterized by larger than smaller families, more high-schooled diplomaed than college degrees, and more conventional and traditional than vanguard and trend-setting. Statisticians tell us the new non-clinging Democratic Party finds its greatest support from those who earn less than $50,000 and those who make considerably more than $100,000. These are the rich/poor bookends that surround the reformed Republican party in between.
So, in terms of generalized income and earnings, the left is now the party of the well-to-do professional and credential class and the rich, along with the subsidized poor. The Republicans, by contrast, are increasingly represented by the middle classes.” THIS IS WHY TRUMP WON… If the democrats stand a chance at being in charge of anything again, they had better stop calling people nazis, deplorables and garbage and they better move back to left of center where they traditionally have been.
Even Bill Maher is complaining about them and he’s as anti-Trump as they get.
Once freedom of the press is repealed the left media will be loaded with lawsuits and crumble and the right side will prevail from here on out. And domestic terrorism will be any speech from the left against the president (AKA TRUMP). I agree with Sylvester Stallone. Trump is our second George Washington. To you Dopy Dems, when the prices start coming down next year. Don’t pay those lower prices. protest for the higher ones.
Well what it tells me is that if this administration follows through on the campaign promises it will mean the 2028 election could be another Republican victory with an even larger percentage of the popular vote. Either way it will probably be the end of one party or the other and the emergence of a new one in 2028.
I know of no one who will ever vote Dem again. It’s out there, we all SEE what the left has done to this country. We’ll fight through the next 4 years and make sure they don’t get in the next election. American people are sick of the sickness the left has pushed. Not anymore. Following the election one reporter stated the Democrats no longer have a party leader. It does feel that way, who would you say currently would be that person or persons that can best define and represent the party’s platform? Is the party good with staying with the same people whose ideas are soundly being rejected by the majority of America?
This election was extremely big of reinvention proportions and demonstrated the real freedom we have in this country. Inflation was highest under Biden, not Trump. If you didn’t mind Biden’s 20% inflation, you should be alright with 20% inflation from Trump. Deficit increase under Trump was mainly due to covid spending spurred on by the dems.
Oh, so all the money flowing under Trump was beyond his control.
He sent two of the three stimulus checks (total $1800 vs Bidens $1400), had all the same unemployment coverage, PPP loans and other spending. You can act like it was so bad for Biden to spend more in early 2021, but your guy spent over half the money during COVID and people voted for added help in 2020 (Biden didn’t hide that he wanted to do more).
So if Biden is to blame, then so is Trump. Can’t have it both ways bub.
This might come as a shock, but not everyone feels the same way about societal issues as others do.
Considering there hasn’t been an “authority figure” in place to make tough decisions that benefit the nation the last four years, many see this as an upgrade. Some of us actually think spanking the misbehaving child is better than letting them run around without consequences. We are talking about adults here! Who is considered a “misbehaving child”?
Just like in 2016 when there was a sizable anti-Hillary vote, Trump won on an anti-Biden vote after he spent 4 years lying and denigrating the Biden administration. His followers don’t care about facts because cult members focus on their leader and many others don’t appreciate the impact of what he plans to do. There is already a lot of buyer’s remorse being expressed even before he takes office.
Now, with an ever-shrinking margin of victory as the tally is finalized, we will hear the whining that the radical left wing, Marxist, Communist, Socialist democrats are lying about the margin and producing fake ballots. That will go on until inauguration day when he will declare the biggest crowd ever and then will whine about the fake news that says Obama’s crowd was bigger.
Pack your bags, it’s over. AMERICA is done with liberal nonsense.
The democrat party is 20 million in debt because of her. Yea id say your statement is accurate. The democrats are morons. IF they put up RFK Jr. they would have stood a solid chance against trump. But nah, they pissed RFK Jr. off and now he’s with us. Kind of sad to see a party cause so much hate and division that iconic people such as Kennedy would leave their party that their family has been a part of forever.
Also, do you really think MAGA will go away just because Trump would be term limited? We are not going anywhere. We are here to stay. Will be the reformed and rebuilt dream team political party. The republicans who are against trump are also against MAGA.
Unequivocally wrong. TRUMP was successful even while battling a worldwide epidemic that had not been experienced in decades destroying the global economy. He was inexperienced with the political swamp on his first round but he’s prepared this time and it’s telling from his hardline cabinet picks. These are people who will follow through with the tasks they are given to ensure his campaign promises that the people voted him to complete will be ACHIEVED.
When one adds the votes of the three times President Trump has run for President, President Trump has received more votes for President than anyone in the History of the United States of America has ever accumulated! Actually it does NOT. Vance/Gabbard for next 8 after that. Dems have NOTHING and I mean NOTHING even close against that ticket, even if they put up Newsom/Whitmer.
An unassailable margin in the Electoral College and a 2.5 mil advantage in the Popular Vote. I’d say the stats speak for themselves. All the chatter otherwise is just white noise.
If you really want a historical context, READ HISTORY.
The Liberal media loves to spin and spin to try to put things in their context.
The House, the Senate, and the Presidency went republican. In a very divided country, that is the closest thing to a landslide that can be reasonably expected. For contrast, at the most divided time in our nation’s history Lincoln got only 39.8% of the popular vote and 180 out of 303 Electoral College votes. To quote another US President, “Elections Have Consequences.” If you claim to support our Representative Republic, support that too.
It’s funny, how liberals voted for a man that hid in his basement and doesn’t know what day of the week it is, so someone else is in control that they didn’t vote for but call it a democracy. Even your great Nancy P told AOC it wasn’t a big deal that she won her district with a glass of water with a D beside it. By the way why isn’t the media looking for the 12 million votes that have simply disappeared if they are so unbiased
Democrats are so funny, they voted for a man that doesn’t know what day of the week it is and someone else commands yet they say they are for democracy. All you have to do is look at a county or geographical breakdown of where Trump and Harris won, and it is clear MAGA had a huge victory!
One reason to call it a BIG VICTORY, Trump saved America from the Socialist agenda of the Democrats, and kept a totally UNQUALIFIED candidate from winning the WH!
Unchartered territory as the Democrat is the party of complaint, blame, accusations, criticism, opposition, contrived grievance, revenge, platitudes, whining, and covering up for the Deep State.
New ideas? No Solutions to problems? No Serve all of the American people? No
Yeah, we’ll just have to grin and bear with Trump in office as we pay less for basic necessities, fuel, medication, housing, health care and other things we need. What a nightmare to see a positive balance in our bank accounts and to actually have money to spend. The very thought of knowing that we’ll have food on the table, food in the refrigerator, rent or mortgages fully paid and still having spending money.
The horror…., the horror…. If this election had been won by only one vote it still would have been a WIN. To this I say take that Woke Liberal Elite Dem “Party” of dictators. When this wonderful candidate is sworn in and takes over the reins from the really mostly disastrous bunch of bungling fools that occupy the place now, It is going to be wonderous for EVERY citizen of this country that is not a Woke Liberal Elite Dem hard core.
Lamestream Media needs to find a way to shift to the middle and report BOTH sides or it can go too. I am more than sure some country’s Dictator would want these people to control that population using the tools developed here. Other than this I am happy to report Everything is beautiful in its own way Like the summer starry sky or a snow-covered winter’s day I am so filled with happiness.
The headline starts as a question. Here’s the answer – he scraped by. There was nothing ”unprecedented or powerful’ about his mandate. The last I saw, he won the popular vote by 1.6%. The Electoral College negates the popular vote. I wonder how many didn’t vote because of this. The Electoral College is a stop-gap. It’s failing. It needs to be fixed.
The less populated states get a couple of votes. There’s a sense among voters in these states as to why bother? The Electoral College carries more weight. There should be an equitable distribution. Base it on the population but how many are actually registered to vote?? Whatever the solution, what exists isn’t working.
Stop with the Trump hate!
The last 4 years the country has been in turmoil thanks to the democrats hiding beneath the “Democracy” ideals and changing the country into destruction! With Trump we can breathe easier without Biden Harris sabotaging everything in America. Also, the ‘Freak Show’ is leaving, and I hope that they’ll take their fans with them….
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Everything is beautiful in its own way