Author: scottpetersen

Lawyer, guitar player (the Blues), magic man, chess player, father, grandfather, husband, linguist, etc.

Railroad Regulation

On By scottpetersenIn Railroad regulationLeave a comment

I take the train to downtown Chicago every day.  

It used to be when the train was arriving in the station, the red lights would flash, the crossing gate would go down and people would cue up to get on the train.   The engineer sitting in his (or her) lofty position could see up and down the tracks for miles and so they would wave across the occasional straggler who might be running late.  The train bell would then begin to clang and the train would slowly pull out of the station.  Part of this workday odyssey has changed. . . . .

Today, the occasional stragglers are not only not waved across but if they have the temerity to do so, the engineer lays angrily on the air horn, the conductor assails the straggler kicking him or her off the train, there are occasionally police waiting to ticket the offender and everyone on the train is treated to a minute-long chastisement about violating the law.   Which we take in sullen silence.  I am continually offended by this harassment and lack of common sense.     

According to RITA statistics, in 2009 there were 458 fatalities at railroad crossings.  This includes vehicular accidents and suicides.   Bottom line – it is very hard to be a statistic on the train tracks unless you want to be.   I for one feel that we have too much regulation rather than too little and I would sure like to see a return to the days when if I was running late, and caught on the wrong side of the tracks, I would look imploringly up at the engineer and be given the nod.  

Port Wine

On By scottpetersenIn Port Wine, Vintage PortLeave a comment

Port (Vinho do Porto) is a “fortified” wine that comes from the Douro Valley in the north of Portugal.  The Douro Valley was established as a protected wine area (or appellation) in 1756 making it the oldest wine region in the world.  The wine received its name from the port city of Oporto – hence “Port.” 

Port became popular in England in the early 1700’s when England and France were at war – thus depriving the Brits of French wine.  Merchants tried importing wine from Portugal but the long, rough ship journey – in extremes of temperature – would often cause the wine to spoil.  A bit of brandy was added to “fortify” the wine before shipping and voila (or I should say ai esta) the wine arrived in good order and with a slightly higher alcoholic (about 20%).  Today, aguardente (like brandy) is added to this classic dessert wine (best served with cheese). 

The ongoing British involvement in the Port trade can be seen in the names of many of the shippers (Cockburn, Dow, Warre, Taylor, Croft and so on).   There are different kinds of Port (white, ruby, tawny, crust) but the king of Ports is the Vintage Port.  Do not expect to enjoy a Vintage Port if it is less than 15 years old and you are less than 21. . . .    

Education: An Observation

On By scottpetersenIn Ban IPods, Education1 Comment

I get on the train each morning and most of the people on board are reading a newspaper, a book, doing work or studying.   A few may be catching up on sleep.  I normally read. 

Some, however, mainly the younger set, are sitting there with earphones in, holding their Ipod or Iphone, slack-jawed, listening to music or playing video games.  And it’s that way for the whole trip.  And their 30 minute ride – this wonderful concentrated opportunity for learning or enrichment – at least from my perspective – has been a waste.   I have to wonder if there is anything that can be done (or should be done) to  discourage this trend.  Ban IPods or video games for anyone under a certain age?  Surely we all need “down time” but to focus on down time on a consistent basis at the expense of learning?  I dunno. . . .  What do you think?

The Rosetta Stone

On By scottpetersenIn Rosetta StoneLeave a comment

From before the fall of the Roman Empire (408 A.D.) until 1799, no one was able to decipher ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.  On July 15, 1799, all of that changed.  Soldiers in Napoleon’s army while rebuilding a fort near the Egyptian port city of el-Rashid, stumbled across a stone marker made of black granite.  What made this marker unique was that it had writing on it — in 2 languages but in 3 scripts:  ancient Greek, Egyptian Demotic script and ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. 

Viewed as a curiosity by the French, it was promptly acquired by the British in 1801 when the British defeated the French in Egypt.  And the Rosetta Stone has been in the British Museum since 1802.   Over the course of the next 25 years, the Rosetta Stone was translated – and the secrets of (and “key” to) Egyptian hieroglyphs were revealed. 

The Rosetta Stone was carved around 196 B.C. during the reign of Ptolemy V.  It is called the “Rosetta” Stone because that is the town where it was found — Rosetta (Rashid).  It stands as one of the most amazing “finds” in world history.  Today, if someone uses the term, it will most likely refer to a “key” (“The spectrum of hydrogen atoms has proven to be the Rosetta Stone of modern physics. . . “).  Someone ought to write a book about it. . . .   

Fasty and Slowy

On By scottpetersenIn Fasty and SlowyLeave a comment

When our daughter Lauren was very small, Donna and I would often need to find things to keep her occupied while sitting in the car, a restaurant or store.   One evening sitting in a Greek restaurant in Evanston, Lauren was getting a little bored so I took my right hand and – using my fingers as “feet” – began walking my hand toward her.  Well she squealed with delight.  And of course the hand walked up her arm over her head and down the other side.  Big smiles.  🙂  Big laughs.  😮

After awhile, I got the other hand into play.  Where the right hand was light and quick, the left hand was slow, lumbering and ponderous.  And heavy.  My index fingers would be raised to serve as “heads” of the two critters.   And so, “Fasty and Slowy” were born.  Fasty was nimble and danced lightly over the table and  all over Lauren (and even bouncing on top of Slowy) while Slowy plodded along.  Slowly.  Heavily.  And when Slowy stepped onto our daughter’s hand, he was . . .well, heavy.  Lauren thought it was hysterical!   And so Fasty and Slowy were regular visitors from then on. 

Fasty and slowy have been in hibernation for quite a few years.  But I have a feeling that pretty soon they’ll be making a reappearance. . . . .

A 6th Grade Lesson

On By scottpetersenIn 6th Grade LessonLeave a comment

On April 2, 2007, I presented a paper to the Chicago Literary Club on 5 lessons that I had learned in life (see post of August 16th for one).   Another occurred in 6th grade. 

One day between classes, I saw Tim H.  In a show of 6th grade bravado, I grabbed him and pushed him bodily into the girls’ bathroom.  And I held the door – chortling – while screams of girls and cries from Tim resounded down the hall.  What happened next occurred in a kind of slow motion though I’m sure it took place in a flash.  I felt a hand on my shoulder which spun me around.  Suddenly a bright light exploded on the side of my face.  My teacher, Mrs. S, had slapped me.  Hard.  “Don’t you ever do that again.”  Tim escaped.  I wobbled back to the classroom.   When I got home, my mother was there – arms akimbo.  She knew. . . .  Instead of hugging me and spitting about the mean teacher, my mother simply commented that she hoped I’d learned my lesson.  I had.

I learned a lesson.  It was epiphanal.  I learned that there were lines that were not to be crossed.  In today’s world, Mrs. S would’ve been summarily fired, the school system would have been sued by some money-grubbing plaintiff’s lawyer and there would’ve been nasty articles expressing outrage.   

I tend to think our educational system needs options for teaching lessons (even like this one) — without the consequence.  After all, who wins?   I sure did. . . . .

Honey

On By scottpetersenIn Cooking with honey, HoneyLeave a comment

One of my primo recipes is Swedish pancakes.  One day I’ll share the recipe but for now I will tell you this.  I don’t use sugar in the mix.  I use honey.  Honey to me is more purely sweet and adds a subtle, gentle sweetness to the flavor.   In fact in baking (or even grilling onions – see Nov. 4), when I have the choice, I use honey.  A healthy dessert that I make for myself is Greek yoghurt, almond (or peanut) butter topped with honey.  How sweet it is!  

We all know that bees make honey but did you know that honey is the result of continuous regurgitation by the bees?    It goes up and down until it reaches a desired consistency then “Splat” it goes into the honeycomb.  Interestingly most microorganisms don’t grow in honey (low water content – .6%) thus honey normally does not spoil — even after decades or even centuries of sitting around (that’s true) just like Twinkies.  Honey gleaned from different flowers and plants results in varied flavor and qualities.  Honey is a healthier choice than sugar and it contains no cholestorol. 

Our ancestors were collecting honey 10,000 years ago.  The Old and New Testaments refer to honey (Judges 14:8 and Matthew 3:4) and the Qur’an devotes an entire Surra to honey (al-Nahl; The Honey Bee).  Sore throat?  Honey in hot water.   Cuts or scratches?  Honey (if no antiseptic is available).  MRSA bacteria?  Honey (New Zealand manuka).  Good stuff, honey.        

“My Favorite Day”

On By scottpetersenIn My Favorite Day, Winter SolsticeLeave a comment

I had breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s with a client a few years ago.   It was winter.  Freezing.  Snowing.   Out of the blue, he asked me “What’s your favorite day in the year?”  Hmmmmmm. . . . . I had to think about it though not for long.  “Thanksgiving” I said “because I leave work early on Wednesday, Thursday is a family day and I eat until I keel over, I get Friday off – and I still have the weekend to recover.”  My friend nodded solemnly and was silent.  “Sooooooo Chris” I asked “what is your favorite day?”  He responded immediately “December 22d.” 

Now I’m not be the brightest light in the box but I do have a handle on the major holidays – and even a few minor ones.  December 22d did not ring a bell.  “Why, pray tell, do you like December 22d?”  I asked.  “Because” Chris said “that is the winter solstice.  When days start getting longer.”  (See  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice ). 

The winter solstice nearly always occurs on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.  The sun begins to stay out longer.   There are many festivals and celebrations that surround the winter solstice.  For me, with the dog days of winter still ahead, it’s the “I wish I was Somewhere Warm” Festival. . . .

The Manuscript Society

On By scottpetersenIn Autographs, Hank Sauer, The Manuscript SocietyLeave a comment

I began collecting autographs at the ripe old age of 6.  My father would take me to Wrigley Field – home of the hapless Chicago Cubs.  He would settle into his grandstand seat with a hot dog and a beer and I would gallop down the concrete steps to troll for autographs from the likes of Hank Sauer (see post of August 2d).  

My autograph collecting has evolved to a point that — while I still have (and would never part with) my Hank Sauer autographs — I am focused on original handwritten letters and documents of Justices of the United States Supreme Court.   I have them all in some handwritten form.  Only two other private collectors have complete collections. 

One of the great resources for a collector of history in its handwritten form is The Manuscript Society (www.manuscript.org).  A thousand members – colleges, universities, libraries, collectors and dealers in 20 countries.   I’ve been a member since an old friend from the University of Iowa encouraged me to join.  I was President for 2 years.  It’s worth the price of admission ($65.00 a year).  We have made many friends through this great group and taken many trips for annual meetings (London, Washington, Dublin, Belfast, L.A., Seattle, next year Quebec).   If you have any interest in history, manuscripts, genealogy or antiquarian curiosities, check it out.  You will not be disappointed.      

Word Quirks

On By scottpetersenIn Word facts, Word quirksLeave a comment

I have always been interested in language – and words.  And I began “collecting” interesting tidbits about words around the age of 10.  Here are some interesting facts that are fun to know.

Only 3 words in the English language have the vowels in perfect order:  facetious, arsenious (derived from arsenic) and abstemious (abstaining)

Longest word without repeating a letter:  uncopyrightable

Longest word you can type on the top row of a typewriter:  typewriter

Longest word typed with left hand:  stewardesses

Longest word typed with right hand:  lollipop

Only word derived from Malaysian language:  amok (to run amok)

Only one word has 3 consecutive double letters:  Bookkeeper.  Sweettooth is also one if spelled as one word

Only 3 words that are palindromes (same backwards as forwards):  racecar, kayak and level

Only one word ends in “mt”:  dreamt

Longest word without vowels (A – E – I – O 0r U):  rhythms

Longest one syllable word:  screeched

Most used letter in English language:  E

Least used letter:  Q