respublica

This is an order Old Man Winter

Seen on the sign on the academic quad pond.

Looks like another icing coming at us on Sunday.

Collinsville Business Associate of the Month

At the Collinsville Progress meeting yesterday the board presented the Business Associate of the Month award to Charlene Welch, a longtime employee of the local Schnucks. For many years Progress held its meetings in the Schnucks Station Restaurant where Charlene began her tenure and was often our server. When the store was remodeled and the restaurant eliminated, she became a checker and now works behind the front desk while filling in at check out lines when needed. 

Charlene has always been one of the most cheerful and friendly of the Schnucks employess, efficient and caring to customers. This award is well deserved. To say she was shocked and bewildered when she was brought in to the meeting is an understatement. 

She had no idea what was going on as Progress corresponding secretary read the award.

Then laughed in surprise.

A fantastic person.

In case you didn't realize this, Schnucks has a meeting room right next to the front desk, filled with tables that the store staff uses for meetings but is also available for other groups. It was nice to be back where we spent so many last Thursdays of the month.

History can be funny

Here's a picture of a woman having her hair dried in the 1920's.

Since she's so dressed up and posed on the table this must have been an ad shot for something, but it still makes me laugh.

The first hand held hair dryer was invented in the 1890's but wasn't used too much til later on. 

This from a 1924 issue of Popular Mechanics for Women explains how to make a hairdryer out of parts from a vacuum cleaner and toaster. 

Remember these?

1965

And my mother had one of these for years, she never seemed to want to give it up. 

History is fun

Throw back Thursday

Rural King opened in Collinsville at this time in 2010. What fun that place is.

"We need to remind people why they fell in love with Target," he said.

Confession up front. I have never been in love with Target or even understood the attraction. 

No more woof

Ok, this is being tested somewhere in Scandanavia by the Nordic Society for Invention and Discovery, which is good in a way because it means no American tax dollars were wasted. What is going on over there is “No More Woof” -- technology that aims to distinguish canine thought patterns and then issue them as short sentences via a microphone.

The operating system relies on sensors in the headset which detect electric signals in the dog's brainwaves. Technology from an in-built processing device then analyses the signal patterns and deciphers them into distinct feelings like anger, curiosity or tiredness.

Sample sentences such as “I’m hungry – but I don’t like this!” or "I'm curious who that is?" will be programmed into the device and emitted through a loudspeaker.  

How exactly scientists will attach the sensors into a dog's brain has yet to be ironed out. Issues like this.

Dogs have always done a great job of communicating. I'm guessing the folks who are involved in this study are cat people because cats really keep their thoughts to themselves. And cats wouldn't put up with this kind of nonsense so they're trying it with dogs.

Larger phone or smaller tablet?

Get ready, phones will be getting bigger because most users like bigger screens. Since phones are used for so much more than merely making calls, the prediction is we will all soon be carrying around and talking on large devices. This image is rather comical, but, in some markets consumers are already making the choice to buy a large smartphone rather than buying a small tablet.

If it's what we want, it'll be a success and often we don't even realize we want oversized 7 inch phones until they're here and being used by everyone we see. But does this also mean clothing makers will begin creating large fashion pockets to hold the big phones?

Olympic remains

World cities spend millions and millions, maybe billions of dollars vying to get the chance to host Olympic games. They pour even more money into constructing the various venues so that for a brief two weeks in time everything is shiny and new and perfect for everyone to see.

But what happens when the two weeks of competition are over? Here are 30 haunting photos of abandoned Olympic arenas in several cities which had their day. Beginning with Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, a city which a few short years after their olympics was part of a country torn apart, a country which no longer exists. But then we see the sport areas in other cities with less traumatic goings.

And we all were given to believe that after the olympics were finished the sporting venues would continue to be used. Maybe Syndey Australia did better? It looks like it.

 

The amazing world of marble mining

Rather incredible photos taken in Vermont marble mines.

One year ago today

I wrote this:

We have so many items of outerwear around that we shrug in and out of everyday. We have cold weather jackets, snow jackets, mid cold jackets, mild temperature jackets, scarves, hats, gloves for snow and gloves for driving, gloves for dog walking, gloves for using the iphone. We have boots for wet, shoes for cold, shoes for going to the store, and shoes for church. Not to mention sweaters, sweatshirts, plain jeans and flannel lined jeans, cords and khakis... and umbrellas. All within reach and all making everything as cluttered as can be.

And, it's exhausing having to put on and and take off so many times a day.

I'm ready for spring and summer.

And this has been an ever colder, snowier, windier, more miserable winter than last. Oh how I'd love to be walking beside tulips right now.

We have so many items of outerwear around that we shrug in and out of everyday. We have cold weather jackets, snow jackets, mid cold jackets, mild temperature jackets, scarves, hats, gloves for snow and gloves for driving, gloves for dog walking, gloves for using the iphone. We have boots for wet, shoes for cold, shoes for going to the store, and shoes for church. Not to mention sweaters, sweatshirts, plain jeans and flannel lined jeans, cords and khakis... and umbrellas. All within reach and all making everything as cluttered as can be.

And, it's exhausing having to put on and and take off so many times a day.

I'm ready for spring and summer.

And this has been an ever colder, snowier, windier, more miserable winter than last. Oh how I'd love to be walking beside tulips right now.