Here’s a little known story about the United States Constitution. First, let’s review the preamble after the words: “We the People… “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves […]
Return to Sender
In my 33 year experience as a letter carrier, postal management would generally find purpose in fixing things that weren’t broken. The resultant chaos would throw workers off balance and erode productivity. Every new boss would try to “reinvent the wheel.” Occasionally, a new manager would work with the employees, but that was a rarity. […]
Save the Post Office
U.S. MAIL is NOT FOR SALE Do you like getting your mail and parcels delivered at or close to your address, and in a timely fashion six days per week? Well, if your answer is “Yes,” than you need to read on. Back in 2006, President George W. Bush and his cohorts manufactured a one-of-a-kind debt […]
Timothy Matlack
Speaking of “writing history,” The Declaration of Independence is the perfect subject for this week. The Committee of Five or the brain trust of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman formulated the concepts. The wording was Jeffersonian. And the final draft written by Thomas Jefferson was engrossed by the famous […]
Something to remember you by
In today’s NY Times, Steven Petrow laments the further reduction of our humanity with credit card companies’ elimination of an actual signature. It’s a great article. I am right there with the author as he clutches the multi-sensory experience of reading his Grandma’s letters. I worry about how much we are mindlessly, willingly sacrifice to […]
The handwriting of The Declaration of Independence
July 4, 2012 This holiday gives me a perfect opportunity to discuss the lovely handwriting behind The Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft. Corrections were made by Adams and Franklin and then the document was passed on to Timothy Matlack to engross. Timothy Matlack (1730-1829) was a delegate to The Continental Congress […]