The Clip-On Tie Caused the Great Depression
Does the date December 13, 1928, mean anything to you? That's the day the clip-on tie was invented. I know that's almost a full year before The Crash, but the…
Little Old Rhode Island
I was listening to one of my favorite songs the other day wondering how I could work it into a post. Then it hit me. The song would work quite…
The Second Pioneer
It was April 24, 1777, and Daniel Boone was in big trouble. About 100 Indians ambushed him outside Boonesborough. A gunshot wound broke his leg. As a Shawnee raised his…
A Satchel Full of Steamers
You'll recall our recent interview with singer-songwriter Jeffrey Foucault in which he talked with us about his new album, Blood Brothers. If you missed the interview, you can read it here. Jeffrey…
July 3, 1776
A storm, the previous day, had broken a spell of humid days. It was mercifully cooler. Although not so much indoors, where the Second Continental Congress was meeting in the…
White Dog, Whiskey Thief, Red Line
On National Bourbon Day. Do you know your single barrel from your small batch? Know what to do with a whiskey thief? (It's not as dangerous as it sounds.) Use this guide…
Cognac, Cigars and Suez
Don't let the title throw you, we're not going to discuss the Suez Canal. (Although it's a fascinating subject.) Lady Clarissa Eden, wife of Sir Anthony Eden, said in the…
Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows
I came to him kind of late. I was in a strange place, flipping around the dial in my car radio, trying to find the local jazz station, and I…
Main Street
A 200-mile trip might take the average person six or seven hours. I've been known to do it in three days. That's because I always take the alternate route, otherwise…
The Notes They Left
In the lower level of Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, you can find an old typewriter ready and waiting for customers to leave their thoughts. And they do. Love…