Dispatches: Old West & Beyond 08.19.25
August 19, 2025
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“Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier.”—Eleanor Roosevelt
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—MY TWO CENTS WORTH—
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how fed up I was with seeing the “pink salt” weight loss video on YouTube. Well, I’m back and on another YouTube rant. There are dozens of scam commercials, but something equally concerning is a boatload of phony videos. Often, you can spot them by their mostly sensational titles and enticing thumbnail sketches aimed at luring viewers.
YouTuber Moreno Dizdarevic contends that fake videos are ruining the channel.
In my experience, most or all of the “narrated” videos are fake. For example, a story begins with a narrator introducing the story and several main characters. But the characters don’t speak. The narrator has all the speaking parts. Another clue is that the featured characters you were introduced to in the beginning will probably show up later, but bearing no resemblance to the original characters.
If you’re confused as to whether these alleged true stories and characters are true, simply Google it. Chances are, you’ll discover the content of the video you just watched is fake.
So, viewer beware.
—DISPATCHES FROM THE OLD WEST—
(1) Chief Spotted Elk led his followers to Pine Ridge, South Dakota, to seek sanctuary and freedom to perform the Ghost Dance. But things turned ugly when soldiers gunned down at least 150 men, women and children on a cold and windy morning in late 1890. “GHOST DANCE.”
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(2) A. G. Byler, the first sheriff of Baxter County, Arkansas, served four consecutive terms. At age 63, the popular lawman and legislator was shot to death by a 26-year-old gunman who went on the run for five years. "MANHUNT."
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—DISPATCHES FROM HERE & THERE—
(3) Recently, I discovered a series of photos by Petey Ulatan, a graphic designer and photographer. The images he creates are so mesmerizing that I began to question reality. Check out Ulatan’s Cubic Worlds.
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(4) When I lived in the South, I once spotted a home with two separate front doors, which baffled me. One theory revolved around superstition and religious beliefs. One door for good luck and the other door to allow bad luck to escape. Contractor Scott Sidler has four theories.
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(5) Snazzy, Boffo, and Duh are slang words that play a significant role in the uniqueness of the American language. According to Country Living magazine, slang changes with the times.
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(6) Here’s a collection of cool tools that you may find helpful. It includes a wide range of converters and calculators—even a sleep calculator.
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(7) No, your smartphone won’t trigger an explosion at a gas station. Here are three common myths about your phones.
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(8) I was surprised to learn that Domino’s is not the world’s largest pizza chain. It’s Hunt Brothers Pizza with 2,000 more locations than Domino’s. The company has cornered the market on gas station pizza, but they’re also available at convenience stores, corner markets, and elsewhere.
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“If you can laugh, you can get by.” —Mel Brooks
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