This mysterious shopfront in Childs Hill, a neighborhood north of us, has looked like this for as long as we've lived here. (And even longer, according to Google Street View.) I've always found it interesting that some building owners apparently feel no urgency whatsoever to find occupants for their properties. We've seen some shops stand vacant for years. I guess this happens in the USA too, particularly if building owners live overseas or their estate is locked up in some kind of legal dispute.
Speaking of which, did you all see this wacky story about the identity thieves who had the audacity to try to foreclose on Graceland, Elvis Presley's former home in Memphis? Apparently operating from Africa, they somehow managed to file legal paperwork in the name of a fictional company to make a claim on the estate. They even publicly announced the foreclosure sale. Presley's relatives were knowledgeable and well-connected enough to fight back, but you gotta wonder what would happen if the the thieves tried this on someone less aware. It shows that our legal system has yet to catch up to the new realities of global crime.
The story is vague on who actually perpetrated this fraud, and even whether the reporter's contact with the fraudsters is authentic. After all, when you're communicating with a nameless person through e-mail, it could be anybody. My favorite reader comment on the story was this:
(I am unfamiliar with Mojo Nixon, but apparently he's a musician whose best-known song is "Elvis is Everywhere," from 1987. His musical style is defined as "psychobilly," a mix of rockabilly and punk. You learn something new every day, right?)
I am giving a presentation about the Newbery Awards to two seventh-grade classes today, and two more tomorrow. This is going to be interesting, because I seldom talk to the older Middle School students about the Newberys. I tried to shake it up and find some Newbery-winning books to recommend that would appeal to that age group -- more mature books with teen or young adult themes, like "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson and "Rifles for Watie" by Harold Keith. We'll see how it goes down. Seventh graders are not known for enthusiasm and open-minded receptivity.
The slugs and snails are continuing to ravage our plants as they enjoy our cloudy, damp spring. I noticed yesterday that our pink lobelias, which had been leafing out beautifully, have been eaten back to the ground. Sigh. Dave and I have basically decided we're not going to fight them. If something dies because of slugs, then it's just not meant to grow here.
I love your fatalistic approach to plants, it makes life easier, in everything.
ReplyDeleteThose slugs would infuriate me, but I don’t know what I would do about them. I can’t believe I missed Mojo Nixon and “Elvis is Everywhere,” which I just watched, but I’m glad I did. I’m sure you’ll be a major hit with the 7th-graders.
ReplyDeleteThere seem to be so many slugs this year. After rain the other day I counted 10 just on the steps to the garden. The lawn was covered in them too.
ReplyDeleteI saw that story about Graceland and was stunned it was happening and that anyone has the chutzpah to try that!
ReplyDeleteYes, amazing story about Graceland.
ReplyDeleteYou have to almost admire the audacity. Good luck with the talk. I hope it goes well. Reading is such an important part of life, not only reading for pleasure, but for future studies.Jean in Winnipeg
I'm glad you posted the rest of the story. When I first heard about it, I thought it highly unlikely that the Presley's didn't default on a large loan. It seems like many rich people do stunts like that, including one of our current presidential candidates. But it sounds like they were telling the truth and we truly being scammed. Certainly is a scary thing to contemplate.
ReplyDeleteOh, public speaking to lads of an age when it is notoriously difficult to get them to read books, even more so now with the www, which wasn't around when I was young. Good luck with that.
ReplyDeleteInternet fraud is notorious here. Millions, nay billions is being stolen, although with more warnings and better bank practices, it is dropping.
Some landlords seem content to not drop rental prices for shops and apartments and have them sit empty, probably relying on capital growth. Out governments are starting to slug them with extra taxes on empty properties.
I always fought against pest species in our gardens, but maybe you are going down the right path.
Glen took a picture of a snail moving across our front porch a few days ago that was at least two inches long. It's probably feasting on my plants out there.
ReplyDeleteWhy would anyone want Graceland? I guess it brings in some revenue. What a strange scam to try.
I think seventh graders are a very interesting age group. I remember distinctly being that age and there was a lot going on in my mind.
I hope you did not get pelted with eggs and ripe fruit by the 7th graders. Reading books is so uncool! What's wrong with a smartphone dude?
ReplyDeleteThat shop front is what one might call and eyesore. It does make one wonder who the owners are.
ReplyDeleteI skimmed that Elvis article but didn't really read it. I found it amazing that the scammers could get as far as they did.
Good luck with your talk!
The Graceland scam was unbelievable bold. They must think people are fools. the sad thing is that it's hard to catch these guys.
ReplyDeleteSo the Nigerian prince didn't get Graceland after all.
ReplyDeleteI wonder about empty buildings, here mainly office buildings, speculative ones, never occupied in decades. There must be some advantage, or possibly they've been trying frantically to sell and not found buyers.
This made me look at the list of Newberry's and I haven't read a lot of them. I used to always read what was on the list when I worked in a school library but now I realize that was pretty long ago so I am really out of touch with the newer ones. I hope you can get them interested - there are some fabulous reads there...
ReplyDeleteSlugs are terrible here this year. They have even eaten the cornflowers which are normally untouched. I'm afraid I have resorted to our old tub of pellets, used very sparingly. The slugs are all quite small, but there are a lot of them.
ReplyDeleteYou've got slugs, we've got rabbits, marmots, and the occasional wild turkey, sometimes I feel like we're running a cafeteria...............
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen slugs but have observed their handiwork. I have slug bait that I put around my yummier plants. If they choose to try to breach that defense, they will meet their end.
ReplyDeleteSadly, scams see prevalent today. I've also adopted your stand on garden pests. If something is eaten, it simply is not meant to grow on my property. 7th grader students are open and inquisitive. I hope this group enjoys your presentation.
ReplyDeleteThe level of scamming has become frightening and I fear it will only get worse with the popularity of AI.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried pans of beer to trap the slugs? I've always heard that works and it seems they would die happy.
Good luck with the presentation. that could be a tough crowd! But hey, sell it like Elvis!
ReplyDeleteWe have very little rain here and none in the forecast. The three big trees in our yard apparently are dying.
ReplyDeleteSlugs are the homeless of the snail kingdom. Times are tough when even snails can't afford homes and have to becpme slugs. Sorry about your plants though.
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