City Comforts, the blog

"Jews in Chicago Feel Safe, but Are Cautious" -- Year 2010

Jews in Chicago Feel Safe, but Are Cautious.
Pretty incredible headline in the year 2010.

Google still astonishes me

I have this old flashlight and was just changing batteries. It's old but useful for camping or doing minor odd jobs at night.

 As I was examining it, I noticed that there are three switch positions 

">>"

"ON"

"OFF"

(You can sorta see them at the right end of the flashlight.)

But the ">>" position doesn't seem to do anything. Why?

So I looked on-line and lo-and-behold there is a "flashlightmuseum.com." In about 2 minutes I found the exact model.

Eveready Flashlight - Yellow "Sport Gear" 2 Way with Lanyard - Model No. 8215 (c. 1995).

Alas it doesn't answer my exact question but there is a comment section and so I left my question there.

Google is amazing. So is the Flashlight Museum - Antique, classic and new flashlights - in Maple Grove, MN.

•••

More sidelight (no pun) -- the flashlight was invented by Conrad Hubert (Akiba Horowitz) who was born in Minsk, Russia and then immigrated to the USA. He established the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company in 1896, which evolved into Eveready Battery Company. 

Václav Havel on atheism and urban planning

Remarks by Václav Havel at the Opening Ceremony :: Forum 2000

Interesting and dead wrong, He attributes the auto-dominated urban planning of the post-WW2 era to atheism.

 Link to Pride is at center of today's 'atheistic' culture and comments, including mine.

 

Apple's New Chicago Store -- is it urban?

Apple's New Lincoln Park Retail Store in Chicago Opens Tomorrow (video at link)

Apple's heart may be in the right place but I am not sure if they got it. So far I see a lot of blank walls. Will the plaza be useful? (on the other side) Nice gesture etc etc. But I don't know. I'll have to see it for myself.

 

Prince Charles Dilemma

Why Prince Charles has to keep his views to himself

This is the prince's tragedy. He was, indeed, born into his position for a purpose, but that purpose was to be a constitutional head of state with no known views on anything remotely controversial. The Queen has played this role perfectly for more than half a century. However hard he may find it, the prince should aspire to do the same.

Any odds he'll just shush up? Pretty long, I'd say.