{
"type": "entry",
"published": "2026-04-18T00:48:32.805733+00:00",
"url": "https://cleverdevil.io/2026/is-there-something-out-there-like-electr",
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"https://cleverdevil.club/@jonathan/116422955032685464",
"https://bsky.app/profile/cleverdevil.io/post/3mjq7qgtqn32b"
],
"content": {
"text": "Is there something out there like Electron, but for apps that run in a terminal window?",
"html": "<p>Is there something out there like Electron, but for apps that run in a terminal window?</p>"
},
"author": {
"type": "card",
"name": "Jonathan LaCour",
"url": "https://cleverdevil.io",
"photo": "https://cleverdevil.io/profile/photo"
},
"post-type": "note",
"_id": "47982533",
"_source": "10"
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The last three or four weeks I’ve been pushing myself incredibly hard to be ready for a presentation that happened this morning. It went incredibly well. I’m simultaneously gratified and exhausted. TGIF!
{
"type": "entry",
"published": "2026-04-18T00:45:20.784832+00:00",
"url": "https://cleverdevil.io/2026/the-last-three-or-four-weeks-ive-been-pu",
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"https://bsky.app/profile/cleverdevil.io/post/3mjq7kps6at2b"
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"text": "The last three or four weeks I\u2019ve been pushing myself incredibly hard to be ready for a presentation that happened this morning. It went incredibly well. I\u2019m simultaneously gratified and exhausted. TGIF!",
"html": "<p>The last three or four weeks I\u2019ve been pushing myself incredibly hard to be ready for a presentation that happened this morning. It went incredibly well. I\u2019m simultaneously gratified and exhausted. TGIF!</p>"
},
"author": {
"type": "card",
"name": "Jonathan LaCour",
"url": "https://cleverdevil.io",
"photo": "https://cleverdevil.io/profile/photo"
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"post-type": "note",
"_id": "47982534",
"_source": "10"
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{
"type": "entry",
"published": "2026-04-16 15:03-0700",
"url": "https://gregorlove.com/2026/04/free-idea-donnie-darmode/",
"category": [
"indieweb"
],
"syndication": [
"https://bsky.app/profile/gregorlove.com/post/3mjngc6ylp22b"
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"content": {
"text": "Free idea for your website: Donnie Darkmode. Like regular dark mode, but it also adds an image of a man in a rabbit costume somewhere on the page.",
"html": "<p>Free idea for your website: Donnie Darkmode. Like regular dark mode, but it also adds an image of a man in a rabbit costume somewhere on the page.</p>"
},
"author": {
"type": "card",
"name": "gRegor Morrill",
"url": "https://gregorlove.com/",
"photo": "https://gregorlove.com/site/assets/files/6268/profile-2021-square.300x0.jpg"
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I've slowed way down on acquisitions in my typewriter collection, but when I saw this magnificent exemplar with Art Nouveau decoration pop up at thrift, I could not resist. For a near complete exemplar, it seemed to be better priced than most of the market that I looked at before purchasing.
I suppose that perhaps my next chapter of collecting might be some older machines? I don't see them out in the wild as frequently, so perhaps it'll keep my collection from growing too rapidly. This one certainly qualifies and along with my Corona 3 is now one of two actual antique typewriters in my collection which is mostly focused on vintage mid-40s to the late 70s.
Shortly I'll begin some restoration work on this lovely machine. Most of the restoration should be fairly easy after cleaning, but the majority of the work will be polishing the metal, most of which seems to be nickel plated. It doesn't seem to be as complex as later machines, so a full disassembly and cleaning should be easy work. If nothing else, it'll be much shinier when cleaned up than it is now.
I didn't expect it at all given the age of the machine, but Richard Polt has an instruction manual/parts list on his site.
Some Basic Research
I haven't done a deep dive on research for this machine beyond the Typewriter Database, The Antikey Chop, Robert Messenger's site, and the excellent history in The Typewriter Gazette. To my knowledge there's only one YouTube video on the machine with some of the functionality delineated at:
I've noted that the typewriter journal ETCetera has a few mentions of Odells as well. The December 2002, Issue No. 60 of ETCetera lists the rarity and desirability rankings of the Odell No. 4 as 5.0 and 5.5 respectively.
Initial Condition of My Odell No. 4
Against the odds, my typewriter came with the original box, but the paint/labeling on it is faint as to be difficult to read. I can easily make out the manufacturer's name "Farquhar & Albrecht" on the front of the box, but I think it fully reads:
Farquhar & Albrecht
[undiscernable]
School and College Textbooks
378-388 Wabash Ave.
Chicago
Later boxes eschewed the textbook reference and put the Odell Typewriter name on the side of the box instead, so I'm positing that mine is a slightly earlier version of the No. 4. The top of the box faintly reads "Handle Carefully". Since there aren't any examples of boxes on the Typewriter Database, I'll do some measurements and photos for those who might want to do recreations in their restoration work. It's a fairly simple dovetail box with a sliding lid.
My Odell No. 4 is missing some of the inking assembly including the inker roller and spring (part #29). It's probably not a huge loss as I would expect that I'd have to replace the roller anyway to have the machine function properly. I'm going to have to fashion some sort of replacement as I imagine a parts machine will be hard (or expensive) to come by. If anyone has photographs and precise dimensional measurements of these parts, I can have a local fabricator make something (or a handful of somethings for later replacement use or parts for others) if I can't manage it in my own shop. Otherwise I'll attempt to engineer some workable parts from photos, patents, and the instruction manual.
Mine has a split Celluloid Alphabet for Key Board (part #36), but I did find the missing piece in an envelope in the box. The broken piece is 5 characters long on the right side and is imminently repairable/restorable. I'll try to make a correct scale color facsimile for the future for those who might need restoration versions in the future. This is my first X J K M V W P L Y O F U R S A T H E I N G D B C Q Z keyboard, which seems to be designed with the most frequently used letters in the alphabet in the center of the index and the less used ones like X and Z at the ends. The information theorist in me will look at the potential mathematics that got them this arrangement.
I suspect that the spring in the shift mechanism is fine, but the others all look rusty/dodgy, so I'll either have to find replacements or fashion them so that the typewriter will work as intended.
Someone removed the bell portion on mine, but from what I can tell from a preliminary look, it appears (?) to be complete, but will take some cleaning and adjustment.
The platen has the narrowest diameter I've seen to date, and while not in great shape, isn't as horrible as I would have expected it to be for it's age. It seems solid and intact. It should be able to type well in its current condition.
In total, it'll take a bit of work to get it working as originally intended, but I should be able to tinker around and get at least a type sample out of it. If nothing else, it is a very interesting and simple, but clever, design for an index typewriter. The nickel-plated cast steel is lovely as a decorative piece, particularly with the Art Nouveau detailing.
{
"type": "entry",
"published": "2026-04-15T23:07:51-07:00",
"summary": "I’ve slowed way down on acquisitions in my typewriter collection, but when I saw this magnificent exemplar with Art Nouveau decoration pop up at thrift, I could not resist. For a near complete exemplar, it seemed to be better priced than most of the market that I looked at before purchasing. I suppose that perhaps … <a href=\"https://boffosocko.com/2026/04/15/odell-no-4-index-typewriter-and-wooden-case/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\"></span></a>",
"url": "https://boffosocko.com/2026/04/15/odell-no-4-index-typewriter-and-wooden-case/",
"featured": "https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/wp-17762918641962108657978205950871.jpg",
"category": [
"Acquisition",
"Typewriters",
"Odell No. 4",
"Odell typewriters",
"typewriter collection"
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"content": {
"text": "I've slowed way down on acquisitions in my typewriter collection, but when I saw this magnificent exemplar with Art Nouveau decoration pop up at thrift, I could not resist. For a near complete exemplar, it seemed to be better priced than most of the market that I looked at before purchasing.\n\nI suppose that perhaps my next chapter of collecting might be some older machines? I don't see them out in the wild as frequently, so perhaps it'll keep my collection from growing too rapidly. This one certainly qualifies and along with my Corona 3 is now one of two actual antique typewriters in my collection which is mostly focused on vintage mid-40s to the late 70s.\n\n\n\nShortly I'll begin some restoration work on this lovely machine. Most of the restoration should be fairly easy after cleaning, but the majority of the work will be polishing the metal, most of which seems to be nickel plated. It doesn't seem to be as complex as later machines, so a full disassembly and cleaning should be easy work. If nothing else, it'll be much shinier when cleaned up than it is now.\n\nI didn't expect it at all given the age of the machine, but Richard Polt has an instruction manual/parts list\u00a0on his site.\n\nSome Basic Research\n\nI haven't done a deep dive on research for this machine beyond the Typewriter Database, The Antikey Chop, Robert Messenger's site, and the excellent history in The Typewriter Gazette. To my knowledge there's only one YouTube video on the machine with some of the functionality delineated at:\u00a0\n\n\n\nI've noted that the typewriter journal ETCetera has a few mentions of Odells as well. The December 2002, Issue No.\u00a060 of ETCetera lists the rarity and desirability rankings of the Odell No.\u00a04 as 5.0 and 5.5 respectively.\n\nInitial Condition of My Odell No.\u00a04\n\nAgainst the odds, my typewriter came with the original box, but the paint/labeling on it is faint as to be difficult to read. I can easily make out the manufacturer's name \"Farquhar & Albrecht\" on the front of the box, but I think it fully reads:\n\nFarquhar & Albrecht\n\n[undiscernable]\n\nSchool and College Textbooks\n\n378-388 Wabash Ave.\n\nChicago\n\nLater boxes eschewed the textbook reference and put the Odell Typewriter name on the side of the box instead, so I'm positing that mine is a slightly earlier version of the No.\u00a04. The top of the box faintly reads \"Handle Carefully\". Since there aren't any examples of boxes on the Typewriter Database, I'll do some measurements and photos for those who might want to do recreations in their restoration work. It's a fairly simple dovetail box with a sliding lid.\n\n\n\nMy Odell No.\u00a04 is missing some of the inking assembly including the inker roller and spring (part #\u200b29). It's probably not a huge loss as I would expect that I'd have to replace the roller anyway to have the machine function properly. I'm going to have to fashion some sort of replacement as I imagine a parts machine will be hard (or expensive) to come by. If anyone has photographs and precise dimensional measurements of these parts, I can have a local fabricator make something (or a handful of somethings for later replacement use or parts for others) if I can't manage it in my own shop. Otherwise I'll attempt to engineer some workable parts from photos, patents, and the instruction manual.\n\nMine has a split Celluloid Alphabet for Key Board (part #\u200b36), but I did find the missing piece in an envelope in the box. The broken piece is 5 characters long on the right side and is imminently repairable/restorable. I'll try to make a correct scale color facsimile for the future for those who might need restoration versions in the future. This is my first X J K M V W P L Y O F U R S A T H E I N G D B C Q Z keyboard, which seems to be designed with the most frequently used letters in the alphabet in the center of the index and the less used ones like X and Z at the ends. The information theorist in me will look at the potential mathematics that got them this arrangement.\n\n\n\nI suspect that the spring in the shift mechanism is fine, but the others all look rusty/dodgy, so I'll either have to find replacements or fashion them so that the typewriter will work as intended.\n\nSomeone removed the bell portion on mine, but from what I can tell from a preliminary look, it appears (?) to be complete, but will take some cleaning and adjustment.\u00a0\n\nThe platen has the narrowest diameter I've seen to date, and while not in great shape, isn't as horrible as I would have expected it to be for it's age. It seems solid and intact. It should be able to type well in its current condition.\u00a0\n\nIn total, it'll take a bit of work to get it working as originally intended, but I should be able to tinker around and get at least a type sample out of it. If nothing else, it is a very interesting and simple, but clever, design for an index typewriter. The nickel-plated cast steel is lovely as a decorative piece, particularly with the Art Nouveau detailing.",
"html": "I've slowed <em>way</em> down on acquisitions in my typewriter collection, but when I saw this magnificent exemplar with Art Nouveau decoration pop up at thrift, I could not resist. For a near complete exemplar, it seemed to be better priced than most of the market that I looked at before purchasing.\n\nI suppose that perhaps my next chapter of collecting might be some older machines? I don't see them out in the wild as frequently, so perhaps it'll keep my collection from growing too rapidly. This one certainly qualifies and along with my Corona 3 is now one of two actual antique typewriters in my collection which is mostly focused on vintage mid-40s to the late 70s.\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/wp-1776291952056801813328504485383-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Closer view of a dirty nickel plated Odell No.\u00a04 index-style typewriter.\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" />\n\nShortly I'll begin some restoration work on this lovely machine. Most of the restoration should be fairly easy after cleaning, but the majority of the work will be polishing the metal, most of which seems to be nickel plated. It doesn't seem to be as complex as later machines, so a full disassembly and cleaning should be easy work. If nothing else, it'll be much shinier when cleaned up than it is now.\n\nI didn't expect it at all given the age of the machine, but Richard Polt has an <a href=\"https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/Odell4manual.pdf\">instruction manual/parts list</a>\u00a0on his site.\n\n<h2>Some Basic Research</h2>\n\nI haven't done a deep dive on research for this machine beyond the <a href=\"https://typewriterdatabase.com/odell.513.typewriter-serial-number-database\">Typewriter Database</a>, <a href=\"https://www.antikeychop.com/odell-typewriter-no2\">The Antikey Chop</a>, <a href=\"https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history-xc.html\">Robert Messenger's site</a>, and the <a href=\"https://www.typewritergazette.com/post/odell-and-his-typewriter\">excellent history in The Typewriter Gazette</a>. To my knowledge there's only one YouTube video on the machine with some of the functionality delineated at:\u00a0\n\n\n\nI've noted that the typewriter journal <a href=\"https://etconline.org/\">ETCetera</a> has a few mentions of Odells as well. The December 2002, Issue No.\u00a060 of ETCetera lists the rarity and desirability rankings of the Odell No.\u00a04 as 5.0 and 5.5 respectively.\n\n<h2>Initial Condition of My Odell No.\u00a04</h2>\n\nAgainst the odds, my typewriter came with the original box, but the paint/labeling on it is faint as to be difficult to read. I can easily make out the manufacturer's name \"Farquhar & Albrecht\" on the front of the box, but I think it fully reads:\n\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">Farquhar & Albrecht<br />\n[undiscernable]<br />\nSchool and College Textbooks<br />\n378-388 Wabash Ave.<br />\nChicago</p>\n\nLater boxes eschewed the textbook reference and put the Odell Typewriter name on the side of the box instead, so I'm positing that mine is a slightly earlier version of the No.\u00a04. The top of the box faintly reads \"Handle Carefully\". Since there aren't any examples of boxes on the Typewriter Database, I'll do some measurements and photos for those who might want to do recreations in their restoration work. It's a fairly simple dovetail box with a sliding lid.\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/wp-17762919524337759015822837753875-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Odell No. 4 Typewriter in it's wooden storage box\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" />\n\nMy Odell No.\u00a04 is missing some of the inking assembly including the inker roller and spring (part #\u200b29). It's probably not a huge loss as I would expect that I'd have to replace the roller anyway to have the machine function properly. I'm going to have to fashion some sort of replacement as I imagine a parts machine will be hard (or expensive) to come by. If anyone has photographs and precise dimensional measurements of these parts, I can have a local fabricator make something (or a handful of somethings for later replacement use or parts for others) if I can't manage it in my own shop. Otherwise I'll attempt to engineer some workable parts from photos, patents, and the instruction manual.\n\nMine has a split Celluloid Alphabet for Key Board (part #\u200b36), but I did find the missing piece in an envelope in the box. The broken piece is 5 characters long on the right side and is imminently repairable/restorable. I'll try to make a correct scale color facsimile for the future for those who might need restoration versions in the future. This is my first X J K M V W P L Y O F U R S A T H E I N G D B C Q Z keyboard, which seems to be designed with the most frequently used letters in the alphabet in the center of the index and the less used ones like X and Z at the ends. The information theorist in me will look at the potential mathematics that got them this arrangement.\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/wp-17762919515343016532880543452462-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"View down onto an Odell No. 4 Typewriter featuring the Celluloid Alphabet for Key Board which has a linear presentation in the following order: X J K M V W P L Y O F U R S A T H E I N G D B C Q Z\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" />\n\nI suspect that the spring in the shift mechanism is fine, but the others all look rusty/dodgy, so I'll either have to find replacements or fashion them so that the typewriter will work as intended.\n\nSomeone removed the bell portion on mine, but from what I can tell from a preliminary look, it appears (?) to be complete, but will take some cleaning and adjustment.\u00a0\n\nThe platen has the narrowest diameter I've seen to date, and while not in great shape, isn't as horrible as I would have expected it to be for it's age. It seems solid and intact. It should be able to type well in its current condition.\u00a0\n\nIn total, it'll take a bit of work to get it working as originally intended, but I should be able to tinker around and get at least a type sample out of it. If nothing else, it is a very interesting and simple, but clever, design for an index typewriter. The nickel-plated cast steel is lovely as a decorative piece, particularly with the Art Nouveau detailing."
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@NASA.gov has lots of short Artemis videos on their YouTube channel (@NASA@YouTube.com), however this 10h10m video of the Artemis II lunar flyby appears to be the closest to a continuous long-form recording of the live stream during that period.
After almost 14 minutes of intro footage, this live recording has some amazing moments in context such as when the Integrity crew named the two craters on the moon, the forty minute “Loss of Signal” (LoS) as Integrity went behind the moon, came back out, then into a solar eclipse, and of course all the very efficient (and competent) communications between the astronauts and Mission Control (with video of both).
And quotes like Christina's “We do not leave Earth. We choose it.”
Lots of long durations of silence as well. Fitting for a recording of video from space. Also great for putting on in the background while working. The crew comms with control competency alone is inspiring.
Note: the #NASA and #SpaceflightNow YouTube livestreams I linked to five days ago are now only displaying the message: “This live stream recording is not available.” a different kind of Loss of Signal.
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"text": "@NASA.gov has lots of short Artemis videos on their YouTube channel (@NASA@YouTube.com), however this 10h10m video of the Artemis II lunar flyby appears to be the closest to a continuous long-form recording of the live stream during that period.\n\nhttps://youtu.be/z-j1uxBmis0 \n\nAfter almost 14 minutes of intro footage, this live recording has some amazing moments in context such as when the Integrity crew named the two craters on the moon, the forty minute \u201cLoss of Signal\u201d (LoS) as Integrity went behind the moon, came back out, then into a solar eclipse, and of course all the very efficient (and competent) communications between the astronauts and Mission Control (with video of both).\n\nAnd quotes like Christina's \u201cWe do not leave Earth. We choose it.\u201d\n\nLots of long durations of silence as well. Fitting for a recording of video from space. Also great for putting on in the background while working. The crew comms with control competency alone is inspiring.\n\nNote: the #NASA and #SpaceflightNow YouTube livestreams I linked to five days ago are now only displaying the message:\n\u00a0\u201cThis live stream recording is not available.\u201d\na different kind of Loss of Signal.\n\n#liveStream #Artemis #Artemis2 #ArtemisII #Integrity #Moon #Earth #Houston #MissionControl #competent #competency",
"html": "<a href=\"https://NASA.gov\">@NASA.gov</a> has lots of short Artemis videos on their YouTube channel (<a href=\"https://YouTube.com/@NASA\">@NASA@YouTube.com</a>), however this 10h10m video of the Artemis II lunar flyby appears to be the closest to a continuous long-form recording of the live stream during that period.<br /><br /><a href=\"https://youtu.be/z-j1uxBmis0\">https://youtu.be/z-j1uxBmis0</a> <br /><br />After almost 14 minutes of intro footage, this live recording has some amazing moments in context such as when the Integrity crew named the two craters on the moon, the forty minute \u201cLoss of Signal\u201d (LoS) as Integrity went behind the moon, came back out, then into a solar eclipse, and of course all the very efficient (and competent) communications between the astronauts and Mission Control (with video of both).<br /><br />And quotes like Christina's \u201cWe do not leave Earth. We choose it.\u201d<br /><br />Lots of long durations of silence as well. Fitting for a recording of video from space. Also great for putting on in the background while working. The crew comms with control competency alone is inspiring.<br /><br />Note: the #<span class=\"p-category\">NASA</span> and #<span class=\"p-category\">SpaceflightNow</span> YouTube livestreams I linked to five days ago are now only displaying the message:<br />\u00a0\u201cThis live stream recording is not available.\u201d<br />a different kind of Loss of Signal.<br /><br />#<span class=\"p-category\">liveStream</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">Artemis</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">Artemis2</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">ArtemisII</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">Integrity</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">Moon</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">Earth</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">Houston</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">MissionControl</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">competent</span> #<span class=\"p-category\">competency</span>"
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#TIL Smith-Corona Marchant (aka SCM) not only made typewriters, but they also manufactured index cards! They apparently had an office supplies group in Marion, Indiana.
I can't wait to take some of these for a spin in my Sears Cutlass.
{
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"published": "2026-04-14T23:05:56-07:00",
"summary": "#TIL Smith-Corona Marchant (aka SCM) not only made typewriters, but they also manufactured index cards! They apparently had an office supplies group in Marion, Indiana. I can’t wait to take some of these for a spin in my Sears Cutlass.",
"url": "https://boffosocko.com/2026/04/14/scm-index-cards/",
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"text": "#TIL Smith-Corona Marchant (aka SCM) not only made typewriters, but they also manufactured index cards! They apparently had an office supplies group in Marion, Indiana.\n\nI can't wait to take some of these for a spin in my Sears Cutlass.",
"html": "#TIL Smith-Corona Marchant (aka SCM) not only made typewriters, but they also manufactured index cards! They apparently had an office supplies group in Marion, Indiana.\n\nI can't wait to take some of these for a spin in my <a class=\"u-in-reply-to\" href=\"https://boffosocko.com/2025/12/25/1964-sears-cutlass-portable-typewriter/\">Sears Cutlass</a>.\n\n<img src=\"https://boffosocko.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/wp-17762312992412032490538997124611-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A pack of 100 3x5" index cards with the corporate logo SCM sits on top of a burgundy Sears Cutlass typewriter.\" width=\"660\" height=\"495\" />"
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{
"type": "entry",
"author": {
"name": "Cathie",
"url": "https://cathieleblanc.com/",
"photo": null
},
"url": "https://cathieleblanc.com/2026/04/14/kid-fears/",
"published": "2026-04-14T10:52:23-04:00",
"content": {
"html": "<h1>Kid Fears</h1>\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For my retirement/Christmas/birthday, my friend Lynne gave me <a href=\"https://www.storyworth.com/\">Storyworth</a>, a memoir writing tool that sends a weekly question for a year and then sends a bound, physical copy of the book to you. I have loved answering the weekly questions. This week\u2019s question is: what song always brings back a particular memory? Here\u2019s my answer: </p><p>There are so many. Listening to music was always a big part of my life. I don\u2019t listen much anymore but certain songs do indeed bring me right back to particular moments in my life. But there is definitely one that stands out.</p><p>In 1989, I was living in Dalton, Massachusetts, above a dentist office on Main Street, right across from the Crane Paper Company, which makes the paper for our paper currency. I had two roommates. One was my girlfriend and the other was a friend of hers from college. Dalton is a small town in Berkshire County, a county that is home to several residential psychiatric centers. In fact, James Taylor wrote parts of the song Fire and Rain about the time he spent at the Austen Riggs Center in nearby Stockbridge. It\u2019s a beautiful area, filled with lakes and mountains and tiny towns that are reached only by curvy, hilly, isolated roads.</p><p>One night near Halloween, my girlfriend and I, along with our roommate Beth, attended a party in one of the nearby small towns\u2014I think it was in Beckett. My girlfriend was driving, wearing a clown costume, complete with orange wig, red nose, and fully painted face. Beth was in the passenger seat, dressed as a scarecrow, with a broomstick across her shoulders and hay peeking out from her sleeves. I was in the backseat of the two-door Geo Tracker, dressed as a pumpkin, which made it difficult to get in and out of the car. The night was clear and dark and crisp. As we rounded a corner, we saw a fire ahead of us, on the edge of the forest, about 30 feet from the shoulder of the road. We approached slowly and soon realized that a car had hit a tree and was fully engulfed in the flames. My girlfriend stopped our car and she and Beth jumped out, running toward the fire. Since I was in the back seat of the two-door car and because I was wearing a giant pumpkin costume, I took longer to get out. When I finally freed myself, I got a surreal glimpse of a clown and a scarecrow silhouette running down the road, framed by massive flames. I followed but the flames were so hot that we could get no closer than about 15 feet. We could see very clearly that two people were still in the car and for the first few moments, they were moving. There were no nearby houses. There were no cellphones. We stood helplessly, watching as two people burned to death. After a time (I have no idea how long\u2014time was not working in those moments), other people appeared and said that emergency crews were on the way. The ambulance and fire truck appeared and emergency personnel took over the scene.</p><p>We walked back to the car, still in our costumes, not speaking. What could we say? There was nothing else to do but go home. My girlfriend started the car and the music we had been listening to when we arrived on this horrific scene came over the speakers. It was the Indigo Girls\u2019 second album, which had been released earlier that year. Amy Ray sang to us: \u201cAre you on fire from the years? What would you give for your kid fears?\u201d I can\u2019t hear that song now without thinking of that night and how we laughed and laughed when we heard those words.</p><p>Postscript: It took weeks for the authorities to identify the two people in the car. The fire had burned so hot that the license plates and other identifying features melted. They were patients at the Austen Riggs Center. It\u2019s not clear what happened to cause the accident.</p>",
"text": "Kid Fears\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor my retirement/Christmas/birthday, my friend Lynne gave me Storyworth, a memoir writing tool that sends a weekly question for a year and then sends a bound, physical copy of the book to you. I have loved answering the weekly questions. This week\u2019s question is: what song always brings back a particular memory? Here\u2019s my answer: \n\nThere are so many. Listening to music was always a big part of my life. I don\u2019t listen much anymore but certain songs do indeed bring me right back to particular moments in my life. But there is definitely one that stands out.\n\nIn 1989, I was living in Dalton, Massachusetts, above a dentist office on Main Street, right across from the Crane Paper Company, which makes the paper for our paper currency. I had two roommates. One was my girlfriend and the other was a friend of hers from college. Dalton is a small town in Berkshire County, a county that is home to several residential psychiatric centers. In fact, James Taylor wrote parts of the song Fire and Rain about the time he spent at the Austen Riggs Center in nearby Stockbridge. It\u2019s a beautiful area, filled with lakes and mountains and tiny towns that are reached only by curvy, hilly, isolated roads.\n\nOne night near Halloween, my girlfriend and I, along with our roommate Beth, attended a party in one of the nearby small towns\u2014I think it was in Beckett. My girlfriend was driving, wearing a clown costume, complete with orange wig, red nose, and fully painted face. Beth was in the passenger seat, dressed as a scarecrow, with a broomstick across her shoulders and hay peeking out from her sleeves. I was in the backseat of the two-door Geo Tracker, dressed as a pumpkin, which made it difficult to get in and out of the car. The night was clear and dark and crisp. As we rounded a corner, we saw a fire ahead of us, on the edge of the forest, about 30 feet from the shoulder of the road. We approached slowly and soon realized that a car had hit a tree and was fully engulfed in the flames. My girlfriend stopped our car and she and Beth jumped out, running toward the fire. Since I was in the back seat of the two-door car and because I was wearing a giant pumpkin costume, I took longer to get out. When I finally freed myself, I got a surreal glimpse of a clown and a scarecrow silhouette running down the road, framed by massive flames. I followed but the flames were so hot that we could get no closer than about 15 feet. We could see very clearly that two people were still in the car and for the first few moments, they were moving. There were no nearby houses. There were no cellphones. We stood helplessly, watching as two people burned to death. After a time (I have no idea how long\u2014time was not working in those moments), other people appeared and said that emergency crews were on the way. The ambulance and fire truck appeared and emergency personnel took over the scene.\n\nWe walked back to the car, still in our costumes, not speaking. What could we say? There was nothing else to do but go home. My girlfriend started the car and the music we had been listening to when we arrived on this horrific scene came over the speakers. It was the Indigo Girls\u2019 second album, which had been released earlier that year. Amy Ray sang to us: \u201cAre you on fire from the years? What would you give for your kid fears?\u201d I can\u2019t hear that song now without thinking of that night and how we laughed and laughed when we heard those words.\n\nPostscript: It took weeks for the authorities to identify the two people in the car. The fire had burned so hot that the license plates and other identifying features melted. They were patients at the Austen Riggs Center. It\u2019s not clear what happened to cause the accident."
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Also love to see the “multi-year” prefix on the headline. They’ll obviously leave after this season if an elite program throws enough money at them, but this should protect 90% of FBS from poaching.
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"published": "2026-04-14T02:24:05.028699+00:00",
"url": "https://cleverdevil.io/2026/also-love-to-see-the-multi-year-prefix-o",
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"text": "Also love to see the \u201cmulti-year\u201d prefix on the headline. They\u2019ll obviously leave after this season if an elite program throws enough money at them, but this should protect 90% of FBS from poaching.",
"html": "<p>Also love to see the \u201cmulti-year\u201d prefix on the headline. They\u2019ll obviously leave after this season if an elite program throws enough money at them, but this should protect 90% of FBS from poaching.</p>"
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"author": {
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"name": "Jonathan LaCour",
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Shortly I'll begin some restoration work on this lovely machine. Most of the restoration should be fairly easy after cleaning, but the majority of the work will be polishing the metal, most of which seems to be nickel plated. It doesn't seem to be as complex as later machines, so a full disassembly and cleaning should be easy work. If nothing else, it'll be much shinier when cleaned up than it is now.
I didn't expect it at all given the age of the machine, but Richard Polt has an instruction manual/parts list on his site.
My Odell No. 4 is missing some of the inking assembly including the inker roller and spring (part #29). It's probably not a huge loss as I would expect that I'd have to replace the roller anyway to have the machine function properly. I'm going to have to fashion some sort of replacement as I imagine a parts machine will be hard (or expensive) to come by. If anyone has photographs and precise dimensional measurements of these parts, I can have a local fabricator make something (or a handful of somethings for later replacement use or parts for others) if I can't manage it in my own shop. Otherwise I'll attempt to engineer some workable parts from photos, patents, and the instruction manual.
Mine has a split Celluloid Alphabet for Key Board (part #36), but I did find the missing piece in an envelope in the box. The broken piece is 5 characters long on the right side and is imminently repairable/restorable. I'll try to make a correct scale color facsimile for the future for those who might need restoration versions in the future. This is my first X J K M V W P L Y O F U R S A T H E I N G D B C Q Z keyboard, which seems to be designed with the most frequently used letters in the alphabet in the center of the index and the less used ones like X and Z at the ends. The information theorist in me will look at the potential mathematics that got them this arrangement.
I suspect that the spring in the shift mechanism is fine, but the others all look rusty/dodgy, so I'll either have to find replacements or fashion them so that the typewriter will work as intended.
Someone removed the bell portion on mine, but from what I can tell from a preliminary look, it appears (?) to be complete, but will take some cleaning and adjustment.
The platen has the narrowest diameter I've seen to date, and while not in great shape, isn't as horrible as I would have expected it to be for it's age. It seems solid and intact. It should be able to type well in its current condition.
In total, it'll take a bit of work to get it working as originally intended, but I should be able to tinker around and get at least a type sample out of it. If nothing else, it is a very interesting and simple, but clever, design for an index typewriter. The nickel-plated cast steel is lovely as a decorative piece, particularly with the Art Nouveau detailing.
