Reminiscing About Simpler Times

Rose Mary Woods demonstrates how she inadvertently erased 18 1/2 minutes of her boss's recordings.
Rose Mary Woods demonstrates how she inadvertently erased 18 1/2 minutes of her boss’s recordings.

President Richard Nixon had recording devices installed in various rooms of the White House. This was a continuation of a tradition initiated by Franklin Roosevelt. Nixon’s system utilized modern technology by being voice activated, eliminating having to remember to flip a switch to turn it on. The existence of this system came to light during 1973’s Watergate hearings.

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My Florida Trip, Part 2

Interstate 405, Los Angeles
Interstate 405, Los Angeles

I used to think the 405 freeway in Los Angeles was the worst road anywhere.

After driving across Florida on Interstate 4, I understand why that highway is lined with billboards advertising lawyers.

Interstate 4 near Orlando
Interstate 4 near Orlando

Read about “America’s Most Dangerous Highways”

The Half-Billion Dollar Swoosh

nike1Every city seems to have its Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, or Boulevard. It typically is in the most dilapidated part of town. You can draw your own conclusion from that. When Portland renamed Union Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, there was an outcry, claiming that “Union” was part of the city’s heritage, even though no one was able to come up with what the significance of the name was. About the same time as the name change, the city decided to upgrade the desolate avenue, lined with empty stores and decaying buildings. They improved the street, building a shrubbery-lined median along its length. The crown jewel was a brand new, block-long retail strip. It housed several retail businesses, including a café and a Nike outlet store.

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