Siftings
Jun
07
Brush With History
We keep our democracy fresh. That’s the glass half full line I use when a conversation about Davenport’s two year Council terms being absurd is underway. Stubborn optimism is one of many character flaws, so I stick with the line, even in the face of substantial evidence to the contrary. Building...
Jun
03
Flashback
FC7 flashes by. For the non gear-heads among us, that’s a paint code. “Plum Crazy” purple was let loose upon the world’s retinas in 1970 as one of Dodge’s “high-impact” colors. It is a color so bright you can hear it. It says - I could really care less what you think. Thus, along with Ford’s...
May
22
Craig’s Friday Countdown Wrong Things
An incomplete list of things that are wrong or, at least, hard to get used to.
10. Square headlight Jeeps
9. Ketchup on hot dogs
8. Schadenfreude
7. Vast hole in late night comedy created by David Letterman’s departure
6. Announcing a 2016 Presidential run early in 2015. Please, just get...
May
20
Hump Day
“Hi!” bounces off the storefront. Just one syllable. Early Wednesday morning and I’m walking back to the Jeep after dropping off something at TAG. I hear a high-pitched third-grader’s voice shout from a passing car window on 2nd Street. Two-tenths of a second of aural recognition to go on, but...
May
14
Craig’s Friday Countdown Run Over
Things I’ve Been Run Over By [Chronologic Order]
[1962 - ?] Fate: Northside Chicago birth dooms me to be a Cubs fan. But did you see Wednesday night? Maddon has Sczur run for Rizzo. It’s like we have a real manager now! But I digress …
[1962-1979] Four Older Brothers.
[1969] VW Bug: More...
May
14
Q & A
The man in the Cardinals hat is angry. If my team were 23-10, I’d be happy. But the gentleman in my office is anything but. He arrives unscheduled six minutes before a conference call is to start and is welcomed in. The tallest word on the Admin welcoming wall is “OPEN”, and we mean it. I...
May
09
The Beautiful Game
Negativity bias. Scientists say it’s a thing. Humans remember bad things longer and more vividly than good things, and with good reason. Putting your hand on a hot stove, your finger in an electric socket or your faith in a charlatan can hurt or kill you, so it's best to remember them well. ...
May
07
Craig’s Friday Countdown City Buildings
The Central Fire groundbreaking has me misty for many, but not all, of the buildings the City owns or thereabouts* (or is about to own in the case of the Adler or hopes to never own in the case of the Figge).
#25) “Dock” Restaurant – Blight on the riverfront. Will be gone soon.
#24) River...
May
01
Craig’s Friday Countdown - What To Do?
On today’s editorial page, Leonard Pitts and the Quad City Times have asked for answers to a woman’s question about what she can do about what is happening in Baltimore and other towns. Here’s my first cut at answers:
#6) Demand professional & transparent local government – Place matters, and...
Apr
30
The Silence of the Fans
The ball whizzes past. It’s hard to hear unless you’re playing, but the rotating seams on baseballs cutting through the air at eighty to a hundred miles an hour make noise. The first few times you hear it scares you silly. Once the fear leaves, all you really want to do is make the ball you...
