tfl: The Flatiron Life

I bike a lot around Chicago.

I take the CTA a lot around Chicago.

I am going to think twice about mixing the two.

3 Inches too much, originally uploaded by flatiron32.

We were returning from a movie on Saturday and had to exit the bus because it was being diverted. This is a picture of why.

This is under the Lawrence Red Line stop. The bridge is marked at 11′ 6″. Passersby said this truck was going pretty fast when he hit. There was not an ambulance and the driver appeared to be seated in the truck still, so I assume he was OK. However, it is clear he must have been going fast by how much of the top was pealed off. I think if he had been going a little bit faster, he might have cleared it, albeit sans roof.

This appears to be a rental truck. Do you think he took the insurance?

Not much.

It is a lovely fall day outside.

Learning out to resuscitate an infant with CPR today.

Have you seen our pictures from Milwaukee. They were taken with my new camera.

Should we get a video camera to record Jonah?

Have a good weekend.

I only use Firefox, but I have not used IE in a long time; I cannot really give you solid reasons why. No reason other than, IE used to be an awful browser and it is the vector by which a slew of malware has been transmitted.

I also allow Firefox to remember my passwords, but I wanted to alert you to a little security hole in this feature. Try the following steps in Firefox

1. Tools menu
2. Options… menu item
3. Security Tab
4. Show Passwords…
5. Show Passwords…
6. Yes (To confirm you are sure)

If you were not prompted for a password to do this, then anyone who happens to be at your computer could do this. They would quickly be able to see that your username and password are often the same or often have the same pattern.

TO make this more secure set a Master Password on the security tab. This password cannot be seen in plan text. You are required to enter this when Firefox starts and when you do the steps described above.

and we are in the next Constitutional Convention for the Union of the several States, let us consider making this a requirement for any act of Congress.

Milton Friedman explains how the price system fosters harmony and cooperation, in 2 minutes 15 seconds.

(HT: Cafe Hayek)

Before our next president imposes British NHS style health care on us. Although, this could be a good side job for someone with a strong hand and clean pliers.

I am proud to say with a little bit of embarrassment, I have been there.

This past weekend, Joscelynn’s family threw a baby shower for Jonah. The shower was in Jos’ hometown of Brookston, IN. Brookston is a typical little Hoosier town. It has a couple bars, a gas station, pizza shop, and some other shops.

My understanding of showers is that men are generally not invited and likely discouraged from attending. This being the case, I made alternate plans. I had planed to pass the time at a cafe that I knew had Wi-Fi, however on Saturday this was on the fritz. In lieu of catching up on my reading, I decided to go for a walk around town.

Saturday in Brookston was hot, but amazingly beautiful. The sun was bright in the brilliantly blue sky lightly packed with majestic clouds. A picture perfect day. I grabbed my camera from the car and started to wander around town.

Brookston, like all other small towns in the Midwest, has a skyline dominated by one building rising above all the other buildings and the trees as a reminder of why the town is there in the first place, a grain elevator. Elevators are beautiful and remind me of everything great about my childhood. I have great memories of going to the Co-op in Gessie with Grandpa Miller and Ryan just to hang out. The Co-op is where Grandpa spent much of his time when he was not working. The elevator is the hub of farming life; this is quite natural because that is where the money is. The elevator is a bank for grain and your sales agent when the market is right. In most communities it also provides agri-services during the whole year, from spreading fertilizer to grain drying and a wide range between.

Another reason to notice the elevator is that we are at the hight of harvest and there were semis rolling in and out of town all weekend long. Of course, I was drawn to this traffic mixed with my above described affection for elevators. I started down Wood St and realized it was going to be an even better day for pictures than I had thought. The grass was so green, soaking up the last bits of summer light they could. The sun was reflecting amazingly off of the buildings. I started snapping.

I took a couple pictures as I approached the elevator and framed up a couple more. Something I try to keep in mind while taking photos is to not get over zealous. I strongly support the right to private property. However, while photographing I have to remind myself that no matter how good a shot might look a couple feet into someone’s yard, I ought not be in their yard unless I have received permission. This is as true for giant multinational companies like ADM, who cooperate the Brookston elevator, as it is for individuals. The elevator also had posted “no trespassing” on its welcome sign. There was not a fence marking the property but I made my best guess that the road leading to the scales and parking lot off of Wood St was private property.

I took a couple more pictures I had been framing. As I snapped the last one, a truck pulled up. There were two men inside who did not identify themselves. The passenger said I could not take pictures there. I said OK and started to walk away. I figured I must have crossed the property line unknowingly and was willing to reverse that. As I walked away, the passenger demanded I give him my camera. I said “No, I am not giving you my camera.” He had a look of astonishment that I still see plainly in my mind today. A look that said he fully expected me to just give him my property while his sat in a running vehicle.

After my denial I continued to walk away and the men exited the truck and radioed to their boss. They repeated that I could not take pictures there and for me to give them my camera. Then they stopped me in my tracks by saying they would call the sheriff. I am brave and principled, but I didn’t want to spend the night in Monticello even if I know I would win in the end.

I told them I would erase the pictures I took on their property. The first man came over and watched me remove those pictures. He then wanted to see the picture before that. When I showed it to him, he said I had to delete it too. This picture is clearly taken from the middle of the public street and I was not going to remove it.

And then I was implicated as a terrorist.

I said he could make me remove a picture I had taken on public property. He said I could not take pictures of the elevator. His partner repeated the threat of calling the sheriff. I asked what the sheriff would tell me, is it illegal to take pictures from public property in White County? The second man then asked if I had “a hard on for elevators”? The first man rightly sensed his friend had said something stupid and inappropriate and tried to silence him, but I took the opportunity to respond that I was fascinated by elevators and grow up around them.

They again repeated that I had to hand over my camera because you cannot take pictures of the elevator. “You know with all the stuff going on.” I don’t think I am stretching to connect the dots to the “war on terror”.

I repeated that he could not dictate the pictures I took on public land. I said something to the effect of, “Is’t the distinction between public and private property along with being secure in ones property the foundation of America.” He said these days maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. “What do you think!? Do you think about what YOU believe?,” I said.

I never heard his response because his boss pulled up. The boss asked what was going on and the man accurately explained. The boss had a look like, “big deal.” And he said it was fine and let me go.

After this, the elevator became even more of a focus of my pictures. but I will never be able to replace the two amazing pictures I deleted. And nothing will return elevators to only places of good memories.

DSC02035.jpg

Originally uploaded by flatiron32

Jonah Tomaw and Turtle Alcorn have their first photo-op together.