One More Reason to Shop Online

Your kids won't get trapped in the vending machines!

How the hell does this happen? Where were mom and dad? How does junior slither into the machine? Can't be too tough cause every few months I read about another one. I even know someone personally whose son pulled it off.

The solution? Shop Online. Feel free to get started by clicking the merchant ads in my sidebars. Guaranteed not to snag your kid!

Templar Knights Vindicated (Maybe)

Yesterday Oct. 13, 2007 was the 700th anniversary of the treachery that started the persecution of the Templar Knights. These raids were conducted all across Europe simultaneously on the morning of October 13th 1307. It was a Friday and Friday the 13th has been known as an unlucky day.

The trials that followed were full of accusations, forced confessions, recantations, burnings at the stake and the beginning of stories of the order continuing underground. Due to the secret nature of the Templar order and the secretive ways of the Vatican legend has grown over the years.

The two latest developments are:
1. The Vatican is releasing the recently discovered Chinon Parchment that contains Pope Clement V's absolution of Jaques De Molay and the Templar Knights.
2. The Vatican has announced the limited printing of Processus contra Templarios which is said to be the complete transcript of the Templar Trials. For some reason the publication is limited to 799 copies and according to some will cost over $8,000 per copy.

It's interesting that all of this is happening at a time when the Vatican Library will be closed for a 2 year restoration. The documents from the library have been made available in available on mirofilm at St. Louis University in St. Louis MO. I wonder if SLU will get a copy of Processus Contra Templarios. Not very likely.

Addendum: An AP story published on 10/12 gives some additional details and answers a couple of questions that I had after reading the other articles. Apparently there will be 800 copies of the 300 page book, but only 799 are available for purchase. The other copy goes to Pope Bendedict XVI.

R.I.P. Bip

Bip, the white faced sad eyed clown wearing a stovepipe hat and carrying a red flower is the first image most of us see when thinking of Marcel Marceau. Bip was only one of the many characters that Marceau developed during his 50+ year career. Michael Jackson's moonwalk was "borrowed" from Marceau's walking against the wind routine, but the routine that always sticks in my mind was The Mask. No, not the Jim Carey movie, a simple routine where the mime finds 2 masks similiar to the comedy and tragedy masks used to represent acting. He tries them on, one at a time, switching quickly from the comedic grin to the tragic frown. The switching gets faster and funnier until suddenly the comic mask is stuck and he can't pry it from his face. At first the mime is amused, then annoyed, soon he gets frustrated, The frustration gives way to anger and the anger to despair. Somehow, Marceau was able to convey all of these emotions without a single word, while his face continued to wear the absurd comic grin. His mouth smiled, while every other muscle in his body cried. It was incredible to watch. Seeing him perform on stage was miles beyond seeing him on television. Even the televised performances were lightyears away from the obnoxious street mimes who have made the art of mime the object of ridicule. He was truly the master of his craft.

In his memory, mimes everywhere will be observing a 60 second moment of conversation . ....... Sorry I just couldn't resist.

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'Tis the Season

Well, I made my weekly pilgrimage to Wal-Mart on Saturday. While standing in line I couldn't help but notice that the older lady behind me had an entire shopping cart filled with nothing except vegetable oil. 48 oz. bottles, front to back, side to side , two layers deep. Never being one to let common courtesy get in the way of curiosity, I looked at her cart then at her and said, "Looks like you're going to be doing a lot of frying". "Yep." was her curt reply. Rather than shut me up, her one word answer piqued my interest even more. "Fish fry at the family reunion?" I asked. Granny shot me a toothless grin and said, "Giggin' season starts tonight. Gotta be ready."

I assumed she meant frog gigging, but was quickly informed that frog gigging season had been open since June 30th and would close on Oct 30th. She meant the non-game fish gigging season that runs from Sept 15th - Jan 31st. So whats a non-game fish? Non game fish include bluegill, green sunfish, drumfish, buffalo fish and gar, but primarily we're talking about suckers and carp. Mmm, glad I asked. Brings a whole new meaning to Carpe Diem !

Remembering Sept. 11, 2001

I could tell you that I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing as each moment of that horrific day unfolded, but I won't. You could do the same. We all remember it like it was yesterday, We will remember it for the rest of our lives, and we should. In the six short years that have passed there have been articles written, books published and movies made. For me the most powerful and moving memorial is simply a portion of CNN's website that has been dedicated to those who were killed on that terrible day, September 11, 2001.

Take a moment, visit the memorial and remember not just what you saw that day, but remember what you felt. Here's the link.
http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/memorial/

Canvas on Demand

Have you checked these guys out yet? What an awesome product. Canvas On Demand transforms your pictures, digital photo enlargements, traditional photo enlargements, family portraits, senior portraits and pet portraits into beautiful giclee style canvas prints. Choose from our Photorealistic or Light Brush Strokes techniques as well as various levels of retouching.

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Steamroller Blues

The street department was out fixing potholes today. Now the Old Peddler lives in a very rural area. The town is roughly 3 square miles, population 644. I thought our street department consisted of 1 man and a pickup truck, but there were two guys out there today. Like most road crews, one was working and one was watching. The little thin fellow was shoveling hot asphalt out of the back of the pickup, and the 6'4", 350 pound guy just leaned on his rake and watched. After filling each hole Slim would trade his shovel for Tiny's rake and smooth out the asphalt leaving it about 2" above grade. When Slim threw the shovel and rake in the back of the truck, I figured the job was done, but no, now it was Tiny's turn. He waddled over to that fresh asphalt and suddenly came to life. Bam! Bam! Bam! He started jumping up and down, stamping his feet, running in place and anything else he could think of to compact every last bit of the asphalt into that pothole. Bam! Bam! Bam! The leaves were shakin' the ground was quakin' and when the asphalt was level with the grade, the old road was good as new, .... well close enough for government work.

Got Ink?

Printer Ink and Toner, one if the computer age's real frustrations. It always runs out at the most inconvenent time, and the price to replace your cartridges is almost as much as your printer itself. In fact, I have seen my printer on sale for less than the price of the cartridges. aargh! Well the Old Peddler has found a solution. On my sidebars you'll find an ad for Shop 4 Tech. Their ink prices are incredible. Here are some examples:

My printer uses the 2 Lexmark cartridges. The savings are huge. How much can you save? Click the Shop 4 Tech ad to find out. BTW there is no shipping and handling charge on ink or toner. All you have to do is plan ahead just a little and save a lot.

How Far is Arkansas?

"Are we there yet?" "Not yet and we better hurry, 'cuz the guy on the radio says their gonna try to change it."

Due to a clerical blunder, a new law in Arkansas allows lovers of any age to get married, as long as they have parental permission. The bill reads: "In order for a person who is younger than eighteen (18) years of age and who is not pregnant to obtain a marriage license, the person must provide the county clerk with evidence of parental consent to the marriage."

" Ya still got that note from your mom and dad?"

From The Old Peddlers Wagon - .............. - Digital Photo Frames

These are just the coolest new gadgets that I have seen in years. Maybe you've already seen them and the Old Peddler is just behind the times, but just in case, let me tell you about them.

This picture frame has card slots in the back that accept the memory cards from your digital camera. It displays the photos like a computer screen. You can set it for just one picture, or an adjustable timer puts it in Slide Show mode. Great for home or office. It can also connect directly to your camera, PC and other USB peripherals.

Tired of passing the camera around so everyone can view the undeveloped pictures? This is the answer. Need to update the pictures in your office? Just take in a new memory card with current pics. Awesome!

This particular 7" Digital Picture Frame is sold by Sharper Image, that's right, the catalog with all the supercool gadgets. It was originally listed at $129.95, but they have reduced it to $79.95. Want to know more about this treasure from the Old Peddler's wagon. Click on the image above.

Model Trains

These trains are a long way from HO scale, or even LG scale. They are called Grand Scale. This particular train is part of the Arborway RailRoad (ATT&NW) near Steelville, Missouri. Started in 2001 by John Woods and his mother, Marjorie (Tee Tee), the private railroad was built on land that had been in the family since the 1920's. The new family hobby would provide a focal point for family gatherings and strengthen ties with family members who had moved away from St. Louis area.

Grand Scale trains are the type that you have seen at zoos and parks. The ATT&NW has rails that are 15" apart, over 5 miles of track, tunnels and even a roundhouse. Rolling stock consists of 6 different engines and numerous boxcars and passenger cars.

Want to take a ride? Sorry, it's a private railway. For insurance reasons the railroad isn't open to the public. Some groups of "friends of the railroad", railroad enthusiasts and other special guests are occasionally accomodated, but only by prior arrangement. The largest group yet will be visiting the ATT&NW in mid September when they host the 2007 Miniature Railroad Convention. Over 300 grand scale railroad enthusiasts from all over the world will be meeting there and riding the rails. Some are even bringing their own engines to be "guests" on the ATT&NW tracks.

Pretty fascinating stuff for a history buff like the Old Peddler. You can see more photos, some great video and learn more about the ATT&NW by following this link. All aboard!!

More Ad Cars

Shopping for a New Car

Now here are some first rate wagons for the Old Peddler. The Spammobile probably has the most room for inventory and treasures. The Pep-O-Mint Car might fit a "peddler's" vintage image a bit better, and probably gets the best mileage of the lot. The Weiner Mobile may be the most aerodynamic, and the Zippo Car and the Rooster Mobile are probably miserable to drive in a strong cross wind. Hmm.... Guess I'll have to give this some thought. Did I forget about the Plumbing Truck? N0 Way! Ruled it out immediately. There are limits to my eccentricity.

If you have pics of any other Commercial Theme Cars send them my way. I'll post them here and even give you the photo credits.

6 Trapped Coal Miners

The history of Utah can be summed up with 4M's, Mormons, Miners, Merchants, and Military. Tonight the Merchant tips his hat to the Miner. As men frantically dig in the Crandall Canyon Mine in an attempt to save their fellow miners, I remember my family's mining heritage. My grandfather worked in the silver mines of Eureka, UT while his brother worked in the coal mines of Hiawatha, Ut. The Crandall Canyon mine is about 7 miles from Hiawatha, as the crow flies, but on the winding mountain roads its closer to 35 miles.

When I was a child, my mother told me stories of her father and brothers working in the mines. I have forgotten most of those stories, but their effect on me remains. I have always felt a great respect, almost a reverence for those who work beneath the earth. I do remember that there was a tradition of putting a candle in the window when miners were trapped underground. A sign to those miners' families of one's thoughts and prayers. Although none of the families of the Crandall Canyon Mine will ever see it, tonight a candle burns in the window of a small house deep in the woods of Missouri.

Twenty, XX, 20

Count to 20. Come on this should not be hard. If you're no good at doing math in your head, or even on your computer, you can always do it the old-fashioned way, on your fingers and toes. So where do these idiots come from that can't count to 20? "What idiots?" you ask. The ones in the express lane at the grocery store! Yesterday I picked up 2 items at WalMart, 2 items. The family in front of me in the Express Lane had half a shopping cart full of stuff. The bonehead cashier is ringing it up one by one.. by one, by one... Forget it. So I go to the adjacent Express Lane. The lady in front of me only has 4 items, 4 little bedroom size wastebaskets, apparently one for each of the school age children she has in tow. This should be quick. Damn, why is she having such a hard time lifting them from the cart to the checkstand? Am I in the handicapped lane? NO! Each wastebasket is filled with school supplies for each of the 4 kids. Pencils, paper, protractors and compasses. Notebooks, both 3 ring binders and spiral notebooks......probably a dozen or more for each kid. What the hell? If she has enough brains do sort her kids stuff into 4 seperate wastebaskets, why the hell can't she count to 20?

It's real simple count your purchases on all your fingers and all your toes. If you have any items left over, YOU DON'T BELONG IN THE EXPRESS LANE!

The "I" of TX

Now this one freaky looking water tower. As part of Austin,TX First Night activities, video artist Luke Savisky used a live video feed and a high-powered projector to portray volunteers eyeballs on the water tower of the Green Water Treatment Plant. Pretty awesome stuff, but I bet the people of Austin were glad it was temporary. It could get real creepy after a few days.

Water Tower Mania

Here are a couple of great links that will take you to some of the coolest and quirkiest water towers in the USA. The first link has tons of other neat stuff like covered bridges and old barns. Ohiobarns.com, yeah he's got lots of old barns. He even has several Meramec Caverns barns. Meramec Caverns is just a few more miles east on Old Route 66, that would be Exit 230 on I-44 in Missouri for those who don't know the old road. Back in the day, Lester Dill owned Meramec Caverns. He paid folks all over the country to paint Meremec Caverns signs on their barns. Some were painted on the sides, others on the roofs. There aren't many Meramec Cavern barns around anymore, but some of the ones that are can be seen on the Ohio Barns website.

The second link was put up by the Kilgore Memorial Library in York, NE. York is home of one of the more colorful water towers, which explains the library's interest. They have a nice thumbnail gallery of the water towers that they have cataloged. Whenever possible there is a brief history and explanation of the origins of the tower's design.

For me, unusual water towers have been a fun, but idle curiousity, for these guys it appears to be a passion. Enjoy the links. And my thanks to Ohio Barns and Kilgore Memorial Library for putting their collections on the internet.

http://www.ohiobarns.com/index.html http://www.yorklib.org/wtower.html

8-Ball Water Tower

The world's largest 8-Ball. Tipton's a bit of a drive for the Old Peddler, so I downloaded these pics from http://www.tiptonmo.com/information/8ball.htm If you follow the link you'll find several more photos and a brief history. Fischer Manufacturing Company was founded in Tipton in 1949 and built billiard tables there for decades.

Got any really big ice cubes?

If The Old Peddler hadn't planned on stopping at Exit 218 on I-44 the sight of this water tower would have made me stop for sure. This water tower in Bourbon, Missouri is classic. Emblazoned with the town's name and sporting a hat stolen from the Tin Man, it's guaranteed to catch your eye.

I'm thinking of running a whole string of water tower pictures. Missouri has some great ones. An 8-ball in Tipton, twin towers labeled HOT and COLD in St. Clair, and until a recent repaint we had a giant Baseball in Licking. If you have some great water towers where you live, email me the photos. The Old Peddler will post them for you. Be sure to tell me where they're located.

Watch Out for Spam

Up the road a bit at Exit 186, I ran into the Spammobile. Now I just need to find the Oscar Mayer Weiner Mobile. Ever notice that none of these vehicles are for BEEF? You just don't see a Prime Rib Mobile or a T-Bone Truck with "Here's the Beef" painted all over it. I have seen plenty of John Waynes drivin' up and down Broadway who have steer horns on their Silverado grills. They may be havin' a Big and Rich time, but they're still not stylin' like our friends in the Rooster Mobile and the Spammobile ..... (will I get banned for posting Spam ?)

Sites Along the Way

No, this is not The Old Peddler's wagon. It's just one of the fun and crazy things that I saw travelling Historic Route 66 in Missouri. This Rooster Mobile (for want of another term that might raise my search engine ranking) makes it's home at Exit 179 on I-44 in Missouri, also known as the Doolittle, Newburg Exit. The owner has a Convenience Store/Restaurant called Cookin' From Scratch. Uses the Rooster Mobile for publicity and local parades.

He brought more than his wares

In addition to the treasures in his wagon, the old peddler brought a connection to other people. Marco Polo brought stories of the strange world of the Orient, the frontier peddler brought news of the big city, and the door to door salesman helped us connect with neighbors that we barely knew. A great example of this is Bill Porter who sold Watkins products door to door in Portland, OR. His incredible story brought to television and DVD by William H. Macy in the TNT original film, Door to Door.

Peddlers are known for talking incessantly and telling stories as they peddle their wares. I am no exception, as this Blog continues I will share stories and anecdotes that I have enjoyed over the years. Maybe you'll enjoy them too. In the meantime checkout my wares and visit my links.

Peddlers

Peddlers, salesman, vendors, call us what you will, through history we have been reviled and revered. Reviled by those who may have been hustled by a huckster pushing snake oil, and revered by those who marveled at the intriguing treasures that were stowed in his cart. That cart has changed over the centuries. At one time it was no more than a pack on the backs of camels that Marco Polo brought across the Silk Road. In early American cities it was often a pushcart, while the American West saw wagons and later on trucks like MR. Haney's from Green Acres. During the 20th century it was the traveling salesman's briefcase and today it's the computer monitor. But whatever it was it was full of treasures. Sure there were ordinary things and necessities, but it was the new and unusual that fascinated us. It seemed there was no end to what the peddler could pull out of his pack.

Like the peddlers of old, I will try to keep my cart filled with new, interesting and exciting products. Sure there'll be some common necessities, like printer ink refills, but there will also be the newest and funnest gadgets that I can find. My cart is your monitor, and I keep my treasures stowed in the links on these pages. Just as there was no end to the magical items that the peddler pulled out of his pack, there will be no end to the treasures that you can find as you follow my links to the online stores of my affiliate partners. I hope you'll enjoy them.