Category Archives: Miscellany
Life in 2 minutes
Portrait of Lotte
What coffee shops say about where we live
“Independent coffee shops are positive markers of a living community. They function as social spaces, urban offices, and places to see the world go by. Communities are often formed by having spaces in which people can have casual interactions, and local and walkable coffee shops create those conditions, not only in the coffee shop themselves, but on the sidewalks around them. […] Coffee shops are unlike other community assets in that they enable us to mingle with strangers in ways that we might not in restaurants, to meet a wider range of people than we would in a bar, to linger in ways that we don’t at the grocery store, or to people-watch with an ease that would be awkward almost anywhere else.” — Washington Post
Banksy
High school transcripts
One of the many treasures unearthed while cleaning out my parents attic was my high school transcripts. I scanned, filed and then forgot about them but they popped up recently so I decided to add them to this record.
I was a little surprised to see I was 8th in a class of 152. I take that to mean lots of folks were having more fun than I was. My grades in math don’t reflect what I really took away from those classes. (Thank you John Robison for letting my copy your work).
I vaguely recall taking some of these tests, in preparation for college but I don’t think I ever saw the results. With an IQ of 121 (high average?) I probably should have tried harder in life. Next time.
Yes, I’ll need a pair of trousers as well
I’d guess one of the most common reasons for owning and carrying a firearm is self-defense. If someone tries to break into your home or your car, you can shoot them. If someone starts shooting in the bar (or church or classroom) you’re at, you can shoot them, to save your life and the lives of others.
If you expect to find yourself in some place where getting shot seems like a real possibility, why not wear a bulletproof vest? For example, if I was going clubbing in a rough neighborhood, wouldn’t a good kevlar vest be more useful than a glock?
No good against a head-shot, granted. But I’ll bet the data would show those are more rare than taking one in the torso.
Would wearing a vest be less “manly” in some way? Would like to know what percentage of hand gun owners also have body armor of some kind.
Old Cole County Jail
Cole County Sheriff Greg White took time from his busy schedule to give +George Kopp and me a tour of the old Cole County jail which was in use until two years ago, when the new jail was completed. The old jail was designed to house 52 prisoners but was housing as many as 98 by the time they moved to the new facility. Not good. A portion of the old jail is still used for holding prisoners when hearings are held in the attached Cole County Courthouse.
Really bad performance of National Anthem
Golden
