Stories: Old West & Beyond 03.25.25
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves." —Leo Tolstoy
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1. THE OLD WEST: THE PRESS ON WHEELS
Publisher/Editor Legh Freeman decided to share his no-holds-barred opinions with anyone who read The Frontier Index, a Pioneering newspaper of the Great Plains. However, his rebellious views came under severe criticism from other publications for his "BIGOTRY IN A BOXCAR.”
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2. THE OLD WEST: BEAR RIVER CITY
Lumberjacks settled a Wyoming town called Gilmer in 1867. The name was later changed to Bear River City when it became a boomtown because of the railroad.
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3. AMERICA’S BUILDERS ARE MIRED IN A SEA OF GOVERNMENTAL MOLASSES
I ran across an interesting video this past week that put things into perspective regarding why it takes so long to build anything in this country. The video points out that, most of the time, it takes longer to get projects approved than it does to build them.
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4. CLEANING YOUR REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE IS IMPORTANT
Most of us probably own a reusable water bottle or two or three. Scientists say the metal ones are safer than plastic. They also advise washing them after every use because they are “brimming with bacteria,”
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5. A HUNTER IN TEXAS HITS THE FOSSIL JACKPOT
A Texas man, hunting on a ranch near a national park, discovered a mammoth tusk near a creek bed. Researchers are now trying to determine the age of the tusk.
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6. HOW CARS GET THEIR NAMES
Who’s the individual responsible for naming a car? I used to think it was someone locked in a small room with no air conditioning sweating out a tremendous responsibility. However, the process is usually conducted by a committee and involves a lot of collective brainstorming.
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7. WHY IN THE HECK AREN’T THERE TOYS IN CEREAL BOXES ANY LONGER?
The thrill of finding toys such as plastic rockets, paper airplanes, trading cards, and deeds to land in the Yukon is gone. Cereal makers changed their strategy because of safety, environmental issues, and health issues.
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8. Car-free neighborhoods are pretty uncommon in the USA. However, a community in Tempe, Arizona, is experimenting with such a concept. Culdesac Tempe is now the first car-free neighborhood in the USA.
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“Don’t spend now just waiting for later.” —Brad Montague
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