Done Duplicating

Our method of duplicating things has changed a number of times in the last 40 years. For our every day world of paper, duplicating machines such as Gestetner machines were the economical copiers we first saw in the school office along with the carbon paper copier - known as spirit duplicators.  I haven't seen carbon paper for decades.  It is still produced and used today for things like copying patterns onto fabric. I don't remember the beginning of photocopying.  They came into use in 1959.  My experience was during University, copying textbook sections or literary articles. I do remember word processing.  We were able to use word processing programs on the IBM and DEC mainframe computers in the late 1970s. And then in the early 1980s as I worked on my MBA, we were able to produce our thesis on an early personal computer. So we've experienced some distinct methods of duplicating words on paper.   Our picture today is a favourite front door in Buffalo in the Summer Street district.  I take the same picture each year as I greatly admire the flowers on the door.  Our first picture is 2019 and the second one is 2018.

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Buffalo Garden Walk

The 25th anniversary of the Buffalo Garden Walk was this past weekend.  More than 400 gardens are now on the self-guided, free walking tour in Buffalo.  It is a city of splendid Victorian architecture with Frederick Law Olmsted-designed parks.   Even in its first year in 1993 there were 29 gardens.  In 2019, Park Meadow and Parkside neighbourhoods joined the Walk to reach the over-400 mark.  This year's highlight is a book about the gardens.  Buffalo Style Gardens is authored by Sally Cunningham and Jim Charlier.  Sally is a garden writer and broadcaster. Jim is one of the main Buffalo Garden Walk ambassadors.  He is the owner of the Harry Potter themed garden - a memorable house and garden.   He claims that he does not love his tool shed more than his daughter.  This year I got to see the Buffalo and Erie Conservatory.  It is a massive structure designed by Lord & Burnham.  It is considered one of their greatest accomplishments. Our pictures show the diversity of Buffalo's garden architecture and style.  The great dome of the conservatory is followed by one of the Summer Street cottage gardens.

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Need a Coupon?

Is it ever national coupon day?  Coupons take up a whole month - September. When did coupons start? In 1887, it was Coca-Cola who first got customers hooked on coupons. In 2011 311 billion coupons were distributed and 3.5 billion were redeemed. Food accounts for 65.7% of the coupons.  One site told me that every American could get more than 1,000 coupons a year.  That's more than the Roman Catholic Saints.  We'd be purchasing like mad - using almost 3 a day. Social media has brought couponing to new levels - with 40% of young adults trading and swapping coupons on social media.  Here's a pictorial history of coupons:   Let's enjoy some summer whether on Summer Street in Buffalo - here are two of the houses in the Buffalo Garden Walk.  I call the pink house - The Bubble House.  This cottage district named Little Summer was developed by Lydia Cox in the 1870's.  The street is closed to traffic and the tens of thousands of garden visitors take over.

New this Christmas!

New This Christmas! Is there something new this Christmas?  We who are older seem to have seen everything Christmas. So what could be new this year? It's right in front of us:  this is a Trump Christmas! What's different about a Trump Christmas? By Tara McKelvey BBC White House Reporter "It was a warm day at the White House with the scent of roses in the air and it hardly felt like Christmas.  Yet the holiday season was in full swing - a week earlier than many of his predecessors chose to begin.  Trump likes to do things differently, though.  In that spirit, here are five ways that his Christmas is unique." 1. It started before Thanksgiving This year the tree arrived early - three days before Thanksgiving - apparently because of the president's travel plans.  2. No more 'Happy Holidays' During the presidential campaign, Trump would tell his supporters that people would soon be saying "Merry Christmas" again, instead of "happy holidays", which he has derided as politically correct. 3. A special present for the people  It's not the kind of gift you'll find under the tree. Tax cuts don't come covered in wrapping paper. The president has described his proposed tax cuts as "a great, big, beautiful Christmas present" for Americans. 4. No pet photos He's the first president in more than a century without a pet - so no cute pictures of a first dog, marking another departure from tradition.  5. 'Bah, humbug' for the media Under previous administrations, the president held a press conference in the briefing room in December. Trump's not likely to do that.  One administration aide told me that she thinks it's beneath him to appear in the briefing room. Instead the president talks to reporters on the south lawn, in the Oval Office or on Air Force One, places where he seems to feel comfortable. Besides that, he's invited a smaller number of reporters to the White House to celebrate the holidays.  The party invitations have gone out, but a CNN spokesperson said they weren't going to attend because of "the president's continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN". That suits people who work for the president just fine. Our picture today comes from the Buffalo Garden Walk this year - it is here to distract us from our Trump Christmas - a festive Flamingo display in one front garden.