-
New crime, old failure of media
This is a new form of fraud! The report by KHQ is overly vague to protect identities, but the subject is clear enough. An older homeowner was at work, and his neighbor called to tell him that somebody was changing the locks on his house. There were also appraisers and others looking over the property.…
-
Another reason for Desistance
Well, there are already billions of reasons to stay out of the Machiavelli crap, but here’s one that might be relevant in the online world. Right now ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE in the online world is MANDATED AND REQUIRED to line up in two opposing armies about the BIG STORY, which apparently has something to do with…
-
Regrowth
From RealClear, an article with hopeful signs. The article misses the former strength of smaller cities. It mocks the NYC bigotry but basically agrees with NYC that the universe ends at the Hudson River. The term “flyover country” was not just a snobbish put-down but a reality as a handful of core cities – New…
-
More Ponca action
Last week I noted that the house across from Grandma’s apartment in Ponca is for sale. I reprinted my account of the Folly that used to be there, and the puzzle about where it was. Now Grandma’s apartment itself is for rent! The address given by Zillow is for the lower left apartment, but the…
-
Another answer
Previous item repeated Carver’s answer to Machiavelli. Now repeat Henry Ford’s answer. = = = = = START FORD ANSWER: This 1935 Ford promotional film starts with a long florid speech by a pompous grandiose announcer, introducing an important address by Henry Ford himself! Mr Ford will announce the company’s way of countering the Depression.…
-
Machiavelli loves them
Everyone is riled up today, marching in the two assigned Machiavelli ranks, because some dude was killed somewhere. I’ve vaguely heard of the dude, maybe some kind of celebrity in Political Reality TV. These riled-up periods are good for me: they force me to turn away from wasteful scrolling toward creating or resting. I gave…
-
Watchclock 2.0
The latest Post Office podcast discusses a massive increase in mail thefts since the Trump torture camp. When most people were relying on mail and Amazon and DoorDash, organized crime grabbed the opportunity. Mail thefts, mostly for IDs and checks, increased by a factor of 2. Armed robberies of postmen increased by a factor of…
-
Ponzi is a fake argument
Too many arguments sink into irrelevance when one side insists A is a Ponzi scheme and the other side says it isn’t. Bitcoin and Social Security are both called Ponzi at times. The definition of Ponzi is much more nuanced and fuzzy than we usually think. Intention is important. Two classic examples show the real…
-
Another Post Office anniversary today
Yesterday was Neither Snow nor Rain Day. Today is also a notable point on the PO timeline. The Post Office podcasts feature several Firsts or attempted Firsts in postal transportation, including the first balloon flight in 1859. The PO could define routes and transport methods as suitable for mail. Every new development was soon postalized,…
-
Today is & day!
Time to reprint again the genuine history of the symbol, which doesn’t match the standard etymology. = = = = = START REPRINT: I’ve always been bothered by the bizarre-sounding etymology of Ampersand. The symbol itself is no mystery: just a stylized version of et. But the usual etymology for the name doesn’t make a…
-
The Swami
First of three old coin-op machines. Starting with an overview of the cafe and a rehash of the Swami fortune teller. = = = = = Here’s a downtown scene. The cafe is on a corner, the Kellogg printing plant is across the street, and an apartment hotel is on the other corner. Duplex tenant…
-
The Recordio
Second of three old coin-op machines. Again approaching the cafe… Entering the cafe with two larger coin-op machines on the back wall. = = = = = I’ve always wanted to depict the Wilcox-Gay Recordio. When possible I try to model things I’ve used or seen. I first encountered Recordio disks in the ’50s. My…
-
The Metal-typer
Third of three old coin-op machines. Setting the scene again: The metal-typer is another old coin-op I used a few times. Back around 1960 I used one of these to make a medallion while waiting in the Topeka train station. I kept the medallion for a long time but don’t remember what I engraved on…
-
Neither Snow Nor Rain Day
Today is Neither Snow Nor Rain Day. Far as I can tell the post office isn’t noting this on its websites, so I’ll do it here. Never miss an opportunity to salute and thank the PO! The day started when the NYC PO was dedicated on 9/7/1914. The famous slogan is over the door of…
-
Good news from Enid
The last time I heard, Enid’s only skyscraper was scheduled for demolition. A new owner is saving the Broadway Tower, and will turn it into part condos part offices. Enid is where my soul lives. A restoration there helps my soul. Broadway Tower is one of the beacons for Enid. When approaching from the east,…
Polistra's Mill
Be your own beacon.
Polistra's Mill 