Random Learnings #51
Though evidence is inconclusive and reasoning disputed, Khrushchev may have proposed that the Kaliningrad enclave become part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. The Lithuanian leader Sniečkus declined because over…
Random Learnings #50
Sovetsk, Russia is part of the Kalingrad enclave, physically separated from mainland Russia. It's even further separated from mainland Russia as planes can no longer fly over the Baltics but…
Record Store Coolness
I assume that Revival Records isn't the first album/music store to emulate Led Zepplin's In Through The Outdoor, but it's a first for me. This album had different album covers,…
Geeky License Plate
A person after my own heart. Black license plates in Minnesota were only introduced in January, so gotta wonder how s/he got such an obvious plate. Go Geek!
Random Learnings #49
Dexter Gordon's Wikipedia page mentioned that he was unable to perform in New York City bars or dancehalls - essentially any place that served alcohol, more importantly the places that…
Pazzaluna
Pazzaluna, the beloved Italian restaurant in downtown St. Paul, has reappeared after four years ... at least temporarily. After twenty-two years, Pazzaluna closed in May 2020 just months into the…
Random Learnings #48
During Game 2 of the NLCS, the announcers remarked how the New York Mets' team colors were chosen to represent the Brooklyn Dodgers (blue) and New York Giants (orange), teams…
Random Learnings #47
Czechoslovakia first came into existence at the conclusion of World War I and the collapse of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The new country immediately needed to create a working government, establish…
Tipping Sleight of Hand
I can't you how many times I've seen this: your check arrives with suggested tips - for your convenience, of course! The recommended tip is based on a percentage of…
Death of a Tree
Our neighbor's tree has not had a good summer. The left-most branch cracked during a storm, dropping its canopy on their porch roof and slightly breaking a window, loud enough…