For reasons that I cannot remember, in August 1998, I began keeping track of every restaurant or eating establishment in which I had a meal and have continued to do so for the past 24 years.
As of the end of December 2022, I have dined in at least one restaurant in 8 countries or territories (the United States, the British West Indies, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and England), 21 states, 57 cities, 1 railway station, and 1 airport resulting in at least one meal in 419 different restaurants.
To be sure, there are many restaurants in which I have had far more than a single meal. Many restaurants in which I have had dozens of meals and at least one restaurant in which I have had hundreds of meals – at least to date.
Harvard University has named its first Black president. Claudine Gay, age 52, a scholar of political behavior will take office on July 1st. [WP 12/15/22]
Although the United States has the 4th largest Catholic population of any nation, only one-native born American citizen has been sainted: the Philadelphian heiress Katharine Drexel (1858-1955) was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000. [NYT 12/25/22]
2022 was the most expensive midterm on record for TV ad spending. 2020 still wins the award for most TV ads aired.
Traditional advertising (TV and cable) makeup 73% of all ad spending in 2022.
Democrats now have full control of state government in 17 states, while Republicans hold trifectas in 23 states. That leaves just ten states with divided government, the lowest number since 1952. Between 2000 and 2010 there were always 20 or more divided states. [Amy Walter, Cook Political Report 12/23/22]