Today, I wrote a couple letters on my Underwood Universal. The nifty feature of this sturdy, reliable typewriter is that it has legs built into the case. Unlock the bottom panel, and tripod legs fold out, and the panel serves as a small side desk. It's clever, and quite useful. I currently have the typewriter fitted out with a blue ribbon, to give a nice break from standard black type. It looks especially good on my favorite green stationary. Write on!
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| Typewriter: Underwood Universal |
These days, neighborhood collection boxes are much rarer than they used to be. They are found only in older neighborhoods; new subdivisions seem to be built without a convenient dropoff point. This all draws attention to the ones that still exist. I mean, we're not talking about Dollar General stores or Starbuck's, which can be seemingly found on every corner. So that's what makes this forlorn box more notable. It's in a neighborhood on Birmingham's southside, at the fringe of UAB campus. I just wonder why with boxes so scarce, there is still this one, precisely one block away from the South Highland post office.
A man, learning that astronomers had just announced that a huge asteroid would soon destroy the earth, promptly moved his family to Alabama. "What's the point of this, if the earth will soon end?", asked his wife. "Because everyone knows Alabama is always years behind the rest of the world," he replied.
This article, posted yesterday, illustrates how doggedly Alabama resists advancement. The Alabama Board of Education announced they will continue to cling to their ridiculous disclaimer that is a forced addition to statewide science textbooks. It misinforms children that natural selection and Darwinian evolution are "only a theory" and are a "controversial" one, at that. The disclaimer was inserted into school science texts beginning in 1995, and with small changes remains there to this day. Never mind that legitimate scientists are in near-unanimous support of the principle of evolution to explain the development of life on this planet. "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution", wrote famed Columbia University biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky. The controversy exists only in the mind of biblically informed creationists, like the current Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who insist that bronze age fables explain the nature of life on earth better than the modern scientific method. In this case, the Alabama BOE continues to deliberately misinform and mis-educate the students in its charge, as well as to violate the nation's laws and numerous high court precedents. An Alabama science educator, Dr. Amanda Glaze wrote in 2016 that the textbook disclaimer only damages Alabama students.
It is Alabama's students who are the victims here. Students who have little chance to attain a proper understanding of evolution are at risk of not attaining a basic level of scientific literacy. And because understanding evolution is practically important, in such fields as medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture, they are also at risk in their future careers.
Glaze recognized, years ago, that the misguided policies of theocratic politicians are a perpetual drag on Alabama and on larger society. Only when the public finally manages to throw off the theocratic anchor holding it back can real human progress occur.
This post has nothing to do with the writer James Joyce, but instead marks the first appearance of flowers on my cherry tomato plants, planted 44 days ago. The Aerogarden Bounty has been bubbling along, and now the Mega Cherry Tomatoes have set their first blooms. I've already made a pass with my "Be the Bee" pollinator, which is a plastic wand with a vibrating bee-shaped brush on the end. This shakes pollen free in the flowers and allows the tomato blooms to self-pollinate. With a little more patience, I should be soon enjoying fresh, home-grown tomatoes.
I live in a part of the country where snow is rare. And actually, that's a good thing, since we don't deal with snow very well in Birmingham, Alabama. The normally terrible local drivers are an absolute menace when the flakes start to fall. Children love the rare snow events, but adults lose their fricken' minds! Panic buying at grocery stores (and sure, liquor stores) precedes even a faint mention of possible snow. You'd think we were going to be snowbound in a mountain cabin until the spring thaw, the way people react. Usually, any snow that may accumulate melts away quickly, leaving only a pleasant memory and a fridge full of deli meat, milk, and bread. So naturally, long range forecasts are of interest in these parts. Personally, I ignore the ones from self-appointed YouTube "experts", regarding them as the useless trash they are. If anything is worth some attention, it might be a serious analysis from NOAA, the government weather professionals (and not the ones with a map and a Sharpie). The real professionals have recently issued a long-term forecast for the coming winter, and there is a suggestion Birmingham may see more snow than usual. Which means some snow. The culprit is a mid-to strong El Niño cycle this year which has the ability to bring snow to the southeast. NOAA fills their article with disclaimers, and in actuality the skill at these long term forecasts is pretty small. Also, snow in Birmingham is a tough situation: for snow, one needs moisture and cold. The way things work around here, we often have only one or the other. Cold air comes to us from the north, but by the time it gets here, it is usually very dry. Moisture comes to us from the south, but it comes from the warm Gulf of Mexico, so the wet air masses usually aren't cold enough for snow. It's a tricky thing to get both here at the same time. Anyway, for what it's worth, we have a higher chance than usual for snow, say the experts. Stay tuned.
Out into the mailstream and thus to the world go 20 postcards that I wrote in between my usual household chores this weekend. As I did laundry and cooked and cleaned, I tried to catch up on my Postcrossing list. New Postcrossing members are allowed to have a maximum of five cards travelling to recipients at any one time. When a card is received and registered by its recipient, it is marked as "sent", and then the member may then send another. This limit on "travelling" cards increases with Postcrossing seniority, up to the maximum of 100 cards simultaneously in transit. I have, at times, been "maxxed out" at my 100 card limit, but most of the time I maintain at a slightly lower level- ideally at around 85 is a comfortable level for me. This results in sending just over 100 cards per month. The postage rate for international postcards is $1.50 and the cards themselves can cost anywhere from $0.10 to $1.50 a piece. So the hobby's costs can add up. (I count myself fortunate that USPS rates are comparatively low. I was told that with exchange rates and comparative household incomes, it costs the equivalent of around $7.00 for a Postcrossing member in Poland to send a postcard, for example.) So this morning I mailed out 20 cards to destinations such as Germany, Thailand, China, and Tunisia. This gets me a closer to the level I'd like to be at, but since I have been slacking off lately, as of this morning I have only 55 travelling cards out of my allowed limit of 100. Still need to step up my pace.
My recent reading of the book All Hands On Deck has me thinking of my own experience aboard a square rigged tall ship. To be more precise, a three masted sailing barque named the USCGC Eagle (WIX-327). As a cadet at the US Coast Guard Academy in the mid 1980s, I spent several weeks in the summer of 1984 as a training crewmember on the Eagle. Many experiences Will Sofrin describes in his book were familiar to me: climbing ratlines, laying out on a yard, furling and setting large squaresails, and so many other aspects of life at sea on a square rigger. Some of it wasn't so glamorous: washing dishes, polishing brass, and standing tedious watch in a hot, noisy engine room. But years later, I look on my experience with fondness. Balancing on a footline on a yard 100 feet above the ocean surface in a stiff breeze and a choppy sea, the ship rolling back and forth, is not something many people get to experience. And thanks to the obliviousness of youth, I never worried about the danger. Today, as an old man, I could never imagine doing such things. In those days before cell phones, I still came away with many photos, including the one below as I perched at the tip of the bowsprit as Eagle raced along under full sail.
My Coast Guard career was to be short lived, as it turns out. At that stage of my life, I was slow to catch on to the social networking and relationship skills necessary in military organizations. So after a couple years, I washed out of the academy and returned to my original life plan of being a scientist. About half my academy class eventually did the same, leaving before graduation. But those remarkable individuals who went on to make a long career as Coast Guard officers will always hold my deep admiration. In fact, not one but two of my classmates would go on to eventually serve in succession as Captain of the Eagle. And another classmate became the top guy running the Coast Guard Academy. I am glad to have briefly known those impressive men and women, my classmates who served our country as members of the country's oldest military branch. '87 Sir!!
Another one of the 'zines that I subscribe to arrived yesterday. This one is the East Village Inky which was launched in 1998 by Ayun Halliday when she lived in a small apartment in, you guessed it, east Greenwich Village, NYC. I first learned about Inky in this NY Times article which discussed zinesters who create their publications in unlikely places. Ayun Halliday is an immensely creative person who has since moved away from the east village, but continues to create and publish her 'zine entirely by hand. Each issue is a 40 or so page glimpse of life in NYC, or some designated topic thereof. This most recent issue 69 covers fashion, while previous editions have touched on topics as varied as the US Post Office, Kurt Vonnegut, or NYC museums. In each issue, Halliday's imaginative and fun-loving spirit comes through loud and clear, making it a rare treat to read, while building the anticipation of the next issue. Oh, and she has a really nifty bear coat, too.
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| East Village Inky: Issue 69 |
Next up on my audio book list is a repeat. Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope is one of my favorite Victorian novels, and I've read/listened to it several times before. But I return again to hear the cautionary tale of excessive alcohol use. And of course, the common Victorian themes of class struggle, wealth vs. poverty, and mis-matched marriages. Of the six Trollope novels that comprise the Chronicles of Barsetshire, this is probably the best. Revelation of unexpected identities always spice up a plotline. And then there's the brother's beatdown of a dude who stands up his sister. Family above everything; same as it ever was. I don't know what it is that makes me read or listen to some books over and over, compared those that are one-and-done, versus those I never finish. But this one has now become like a comfortable sweater that I break out occasionally when only familiarity will do.
I've just had a chance to review my Postcrossing stats from October. I've been slacking, is the basic message. Last month I sent 94 postcards and received 96. My national ranking by number of sent cards is 29, but I am still number 1 in Alabama. I used to have a little more motivation: there is a Postcrossing member in Mobile named Ed who was sending cards at a rate in which he would have eventually taken my leading position in Alabama. But then a few months ago, his activity dropped off significantly. So that's taken the pressure off. I'm not an unusually competitive person by nature, but having attained the lead ranking in Alabama, I'd be very disappointed to lose it. Without Ed's push, I find myself slowing my own sending activity. I could attribute it to outside factors. It's college basketball season, and I have season tickets to a local team. Things have been especially busy at work. I'm getting older, and sleep in later in the mornings, rather than writing cards as I used to. Whatever the reason, my postcard activity has slowed. What I need is a whole weekend without other obligations to catch up on my usual frantic postcard sending pace.
A couple years ago as part of my Postcrossing activities, I sent out several copies of a postcard that would become one of the most popular I've ever sent. It expressed my opinion of the dismal Trump administration. As social commentator Fran Lebowitz aptly says, "Every single thing that could be wrong with a human being is wrong with him. But the single most dangerous thing about Donald Trump is how unbelievably stupid he is." In short, Trump has absolutely no redeeming features, belongs in jail, and astounds me by how much support he then received (and continues to receive) from his cult followers. So my postcard, with sardonic humor, relayed my feelings of our county's leader through those dark years.
And now I once again feel the need to apologize, this time to the American nation as a whole. It's clear that the senior senator from Alabama is a colossal embarrassment and a danger to national security. As a resident of Alabama for over 30 years, I'm used to politicians who are embarrassing on a national scale. We all remember the sanctimonious Judge Roy Moore, don't we? With logarithmically greater political ineptness, Senator Tommy Tuberville has brought embarrassment at levels that are notable even for Alabama. From questions about his residency to clear indications of his political ignorance, Tuberville only makes news for his deep and persistence incompetence. As a product of the modern Republican party, he exemplifies all the qualities the party values: ethical shortcomings, proud stupidity, and vague racism. Tuberville now is best known for his obstinate efforts to impede the appointment of military leaders. In these dangerous times, the damage Tuberville is causing to military readiness exasperates even members of his own party, though most of them lack the courage to do anything about it. With the cocksure petulance of a teenager, Tuberville resists advice and doggedly persists in his tantrums. In a state dominated by a party that values its own power over the good of the country, there is little more I can do as an individual voter than to vote against Tuberville. That, and to offer my apologies to the nation: Dear American, sorry about Tommy Tuberville.
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| ...and Tuberville, too. |
For today's mailbox, we stay close to home. Specifically, the curbside mailboxes in the drive-through lane of my local post office. Now, the Helena Post Office is, I think, more of a branch service center. It offers many of the services one expects of a full-function post office, including post office boxes, counter service, and package collection. But I sense that no real mail sorting or cancellations happen there. Mail I send from here is actually sorted and postmarked at the major regional service center in Birmingham. And tracking sometimes shows that incoming parcels I receive originate from the larger post office in nearby Alabaster. Still, it is fortunate that this post office is so close to my home, and directly on my commute to work. As the town of Helena, tiny when I moved here 25 years ago, has grown and spread out to the west, this post office is a long drive away for many city residents. Some years ago, I had heard rumors of a second post office that was being planned for the distant west end of the city, but ongoing financial problems within the USPS seem to have ended that possibility. Anyways, I routinely drop outgoing postcards and letters in these boxes, and from here they reach the far corners of the world.
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| Helena, Alabama Post Office |
I am a book collector. When pressed, I rationalize the situation thus: when it's books, it's not hoarding. My feelings about these noble instruments of storing and transmitting human knowledge are too vast to be encapsulated here. But my feelings are best summed up by no less than Carl Sagan:
"A book is made from a tree. It is an assemblage of flat, flexible parts (still called "leaves") imprinted with dark pigmented squiggles. One glance at it and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.”
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| Collectorz: Book Connect |
On a lazy, sunny afternoon in Fall, I always try to make the most of my waning weekend before the return to the rat race on Monday morning. And today the relaxation regimen includes my favorite cocktail: the Manhattan. I understand the famed tipple was invented in the 1870s at the Manhattan Club in New York City, and that its creation involved Jennie Jerome, notorious party gal and American mother of Winston Churchill. I have enjoyed many variations of the cocktail - and especially enjoy a good Boulevardier - but I will always return with avidity to the classic. My preferred recipe uses 3 parts Knob Creek rye, 1 part sweet vermouth, 3 dashes angostura bitters all shaken with ice then strained into a Nick and Nora glass and garnished with a cherry. Cheers!
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| Manhattan cocktail |
Next up in the audio book queue: All Hands on Deck, by Will Sofrin. Fans of sailing and history, like myself, enjoyed the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The 2003 movie was based on the Napoleonic War era novel series by author Patrick O'Brian (and not the famed marine artist Patrick O'BriEn). The movie is renowned for its historical authenticity and was filmed on a faithful replica of an 18th century wooden frigate. But before the movie could be shot, director Peter Weir arranged for the square-rigged wooden vessel, then known as the Rose, to be sailed from Newport, Rhode Island to the west coast of the US. The voyage through two oceans and the Panama Canal is the topic of this book. It is a real-life adventure, with the improvised crew battling adversity the whole way. It won't be too much of a spoiler to say they finally arrived at their destination, the ship was renamed HMS Surprise, the film was made, and it was an enormous success. What happened along the way is what I will learn as I progress though the book.
Happy Fountain Pen Day! Today we honor the writing instrument as old as writing itself. Even in the digital age of today, fountain pens flourish as a tool of the creative and the artistic. I myself am neither, yet I have long enjoyed fountain pens. I bought my first serious pen as a treat upon finishing grad school. At some forgotten Detroit-area department store in 1992, I bought a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck 146 which has served me well ever since and remains my favorite pen. I'm not a serious collector of fountain pens; I own only a handful of nice ones. I can somehow resist the urge to go on a spending spree when I visit the famed Fountain Pen Hospital in New York City and peruse the vast displays of alluring pens. But I do use the few I own whenever I can. (Certain writing situations, especially in my work, do not lend themselves to fountain pen use.) Instead of pens, I do collect inks of all sorts and colors. By far my favorite is Noodler's Ink. And in my trusty Mont Blanc, with dozens of vivid colors to choose from, I always use Noodler's Black, a "bulletproof" ink that resists the effects of time and forgers to preserve forever whatever I write.
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| Mont Blan Meisterstuck and Noodler's ink |
As I mentioned before, I regularly type letters to family and friends to stay in touch in the old-fashioned, analog way. But I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that the one typewriter in my collection that I use probably more than any other is this one - an Underwood 319. Why embarrassed? As a low-level, humble typewriter collector, I at least am aware that this machine does not earn much attention from serious collectors. It's not rare, unique, old or interesting in any way that would tantalize a dedicated collector. In fact, it's not really an Underwood. The famed American company had passed into history when this machine was manufactured in the 1980s. It was actually made in Spain by Olivetti, who had bought the rights to the Underwood name. It is in fact an Olivetti Lettera 92, a rather unremarkable plastic-cased portable design. Completely functional, and totally bland and uninteresting. Some years ago, I did re-paint the shell to jazz up its appearance from the original beige putty color. Yet, I use it mostly because it is close at hand, works well, and while it is over 40 years old it continues to function as designed. I won't go so far as to draw any allusions between my life and this hum-drum, workaday, drab machine. But I will call it dependable and reliable.
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| Typewriter: Underwood 319 |
The 2023-2024 college men's basketball season tipped off this week, as the UAB Blazers played the Morehouse College Tigers. Morehouse, a historic HBCU and alma mater of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. has a surprisingly strong hoops team who gave UAB a good game. The Blazers are coming off a successful 29-10 season last year where they went to the NIT Championship game. In the off season, they lost a few star players to the NBA, but return standouts Eric Gaines and Tony Toney, among others. Coach Andy Kennedy returns in his fourth season as head coach. Coach Kennedy was a star player for UAB when I was a grad student there in the late 1980s, and it's great to see him earn success as he leads his alma mater. High hopes prevail for the Blazers this season, and with season tickets, I hope to witness every home game of the season. By the way, The Blazers beat Morehouse in this exhibition game 70-88. Go Blazers!
