iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 02/10/2026

My lovely wife garbage picked an old Burley trailer about ten years ago. It's never carried a kiddo (mine were way too old at that point), but I have carried all sorts of stuff with it. I trust a cargo bike would be even better at that.

My old red Schwinn Speedster leaning against the city's compost heap. There's a Burley trailer attached which is filled with bags full of that compost.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 02/10/2026

A Ten-1 torch tip for fillet brazing with an oxypropane torch. I'm sorry (not sorry) that you can't get schnockered on your big day, but you know me. I was only thinking of myself...

Cooper colored brazing torch tip sitting on an extremely old Formica tabletop (circa 1960).

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 01/09/2026

I've been curious about the relative age of Congress critters. Duck.ai gave me info on median senators' age and remaining male life expectancy at age 40. I plotted the results. The difference seems pretty stable.

Plot of expected male lifespan at age 40 and median senators' age since 1850.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 28/08/2026

I'm reading "Life Among the Savages," by Shirley Jackson. There were more recent editions at the library, but I chose the 1953 edition. Interesting to see how the library demonstrated ownership of their books back then.

Title page from the 1953 edition of "Life Among the Savages," by Shirley Jackson showing the punched holes reading "Evanston Public Library."

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 24/08/2026

Such neighborhoods are often the most car-dependent. In Chicago, DIVVY stations and have long been more concentrated in the more affluent parts of the city. Still, it's much better than it was several years ago. Distribution of bike lanes was historically skewed toward affluence too.

Map of Chicago showing relative numbers of DIVVY bike stations around the city.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 19/08/2026

Oh, that's what happened!

Classified documents stacked in a Mar-a-Lago bathroom (closet?)

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 14/08/2026

So once your closet is cleaned out you'll be ready for a Talking Heads reunion tour?

David Byrne of Talking Heads with his mid-80s big shoulders look. Unknown band member in the background.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 08/08/2026

You would think a museum about time would have a working clock. For reference, my phone says it's 11:42.

Clock in front of the Halim Time and Glass Museum reading about 8:45.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 06/08/2026

"Idle threats and munitions shortages have boxed Trump in." You say that like it's a bad thing @theatlantic.com. JFC, what will it take to get the man to stop? www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

President Trump raged at the assessment his national-security team gave him at Camp David on Friday, which showed that the U.S. military was running low on the munitions that would be necessary for Trump to order an escalation against Iran, a senior administration official familiar with the meeting told us. If the U.S. were to strike, Tehran would likely launch a barrage of missiles and drones against its neighbors in the region and the American bases they host.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 23/07/2026

Unfortunately, it appears the Keystone Kops are on the case.

Six handsome Keystone Kops in their uniforms, each one sporting a sizeable mustache.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 16/07/2026

At the top of my "Quiet Posters" feed. Maybe @crockett.house.gov is an infrequent poster, but I don't think I've ever seen a clip where she was quiet. Congresswoman, keep up the good work, loud wherever you think necessary.

Image of a Jasmine Crockett Bluesky post under the "Quiet Posters" tab.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 12/07/2026

(Truncated) alt text via Google Lens.

Other Deep South states may stake their own claims, but South Carolina is America's most conservative state and, as often as not, finds itself at the top or bottom of some lists of negative distinction. Indeed, South Carolinians who cringe at thought of being distinguished as worst in the nation in this or that category have been known to "Thank God for Mississippi." From a strictly constitutional-historical standpoint, however, South Carolina's legacy of firsts and lasts reads like a rap sheet: first to overturn a provincial government during the revolutionary period; last to abandon the Atlantic slave trade; first to call for nullifying the Constitution's federal authority; first to secede from the Union; last to abolish the white primary; first to litigate against the integration of public schools; first to challenge the Voting Rights Act. Whenever America finds itself at some social or political crossroads and in need of direction, perhaps the best thing to do is ask, "What would South Carolina do?" And then do the opposite.

History can be painful to revisit. But even the most selective of revisionists cannot soothe this discomfiting truth: For the past two centuries, the South has served as a regional brake against the civil, social, and po-litical advances in American history-and South Carolina has provided the lead foot on the pedal. From the revolutionary period through today's new federalism, this most rebellious of states from the nation's most rebellious region has consistently opposed, defied, or ignored the expectations and edicts of the rest of the Republic, and the state's belligerence, racism, misogyny, and violence have provided the key signposts along the route. Of the many democratic blessings to which Americans point proudly as proof that we merit the title "leader of the free world," most were achieved despite the opposition of southern conservatives and, in particular, recalcitrant South Carolinians. Such is the legacy-such is the "heritage"-o…

First to Secede, Last to Accede

South Carolina's Resistance to the Republic, 1780-Present

THOMAS F. SCHALLER

My constituents are highly alarmed at the large and rapid strides which this new government has taken towards despotism. They say it is big with political mischiefs, and pregnant with a greater variety of impending woes to the good people of the Southern States, especially South Carolina, than all the plagues supposed to issue from the poisonous box of Pandora.... They say they will resist against it; that they will not accept of it unless compelled by force of arms.

Delegate Patrick Dollard, before voting "nay" at South Carolina's convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution, May 20, 1788

To bring [desegregation] about, the federal government would set up a super-police force with the power to rove throughout the states and keep our people in constant fear of being sent to a federal jail unless we accepted the decrees turned out by a bunch of anti-Southern bureaucrats in Washington.

States' Rights Democratic Party presidential candidate Strom Thurmond, ABC Radio

broadcast, November 1, 1948

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 07/07/2026

Thanks for the letter. Alt text added.

Cities are for people

Back in 2012, I bought a bike for $50 at a garage sale. I'd just graduated from law school and had to start paying for public transit, so I thought a bike was the perfect cheat code for getting around the city for free. Back then, there were no bike lanes, and I battled rush hour drivers for one week before giving up on biking. For years, I got around via transit, walking and - eventually - the new technology of ride-share.

When I became a mother in 2020, my transportation needs changed. In 2021, on vacation on a car-free island, I rented a bike with a baby seat on the back, and it opened my eyes to a new way of getting around. I quickly bought a used bike with a baby seat. A few months later, I upgraded to an electric cargo bike. I started biking around my neighborhood for school drop-off and errands. Then I started riding my bike to work, taking Halsted Street from Lincoln Park to Bridgeport. I loved the freedom my bike gave me, but I also experienced many close calls with drivers in the same bike lane where Riley O'Neil recently lost his life.

A 2024 study sponsored by the city's Department of Transportation showed that Chicago experienced a 119% increase in biking citywide between fall 2019 and spring 2023, the highest growth rate among the 10 largest cities in the United States. In 2025, Chicagoans took 6.8 million trips on Divvy bikes. What is the city willing to do to continue grow-ing that number? Are our leaders willing to reimagine our streets as places for all kinds of transportation? Are they willing to carve out space for my son and his friends to ride safely in their neighborhoods?

I hope the answer is yes because cities are for people, and we're out here already.

Molly Fleck, Chicago

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 26/06/2026

It is amazing how quickly the trading world (at least here in the US) turns away from clean energy. I hold a bit of $ICLN in my portfolio and have watched it climb steadily. Once it seemed some sort of US/Iran deal was in the offing, though, it reversed course.

Chart of ICLN since Jan 1, 2026 showing the climb in value and subsequent fall as Trump's war on Iran ebbed and flowed.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 05/05/2026

Sorry, paywalled: www.wsj.com/articles/the... I haven't read the article myself (not a subscriber). The key but is in the summary: "... parceling out their riches in smaller doses to children and grandchildren..."

The Number

$110 trillion

The net wealth of Americans who are baby boomers or older. Gen X, millennials and Gen Z aren't going to inherit that anytime soon, though. People are living longer, spending more on themselves and parceling out their riches in smaller doses to children and grandchildren. The so-called great wealth transfer people are anticipating is less "great" and more "late."

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 29/04/2026

Can someone explain this? I did nothing as far as I know. I viewed a post by this person, then moved on. Am I being blocked because I failed to upvote the post?

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 28/03/2026

Ready for #NoKings 3. I think my sign works on multiple levels. 1st, it's a sign remembering Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 06/03/2026

Helluva job there Donny Boy. #CrudeOil is up over 40% since you started your war of a whim. Keep going. #Iran should be able to purchase plenty of armaments with the extra money.

Plot from Google Finance showing recent closing prices for the front month of Crude Oil futures. The plot shows the price up 42.82% since the close on Feb 27 ($67.02 vs $90.76 as of about 21:00 UTC).

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 21/02/2026

The current state of the Trump administration:

Wile E Coyote has just run off the cliff, looking back where he came from but hasn't yet fallen.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 05/02/2026

Why is the @bsky.app built with software which tracks me? I thought y'all were the good guys in the white hats. This image is from the @duckduckgo.com app tracking protection to.

DuckDuckGo documenting 115 recent tracking attempts by Functional Software built into the Bluesky Android app.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 29/01/2026

Evanston and Chicago are on board.

Another ride poster for rides remembering Alex Pretti, this one starting at Mack's in Evanston IL, departing at 1:30.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 25/01/2026

For those of you who couldn't make it to the Loop, there's a vigil at Fountain Square in Evanston at 4pm.

1/25 @ 4pm, Fountain Square

Community Vigil
to honor the recent losses in
the Minneapolis community

Four people ATM in arm looking toward a musical staff in the background.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 24/01/2026

Here's another one in Pilsen tomorrow.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 24/01/2026

I'm aware of two, one at the Little Village Arch at 3pm today (kinda late–was holding a one-person protest here in Evanston), one at Ida B Wells and Michigan Ave tomorrow at 1pm. Flyers attached.

Protest poster: Emergency Action in response to another shooting by CBP.

From Chicago to Minneapolis
Stop ICE Terror
Sat 1/24 3PM Little Village Arch

!!! EMergency Protest !!!
Coalition Against the Trump Agenda
Chicago Says: ICE Out of Everywhere!
Stop the Killings!
Justice for all Murdered by ICE and CBP!

Banner with fist and butterfly: When we Fight We Win!
Cuando luchamos ¡Ganamos!

Sun 1.25 at 1PM | Ida B Wells & Michigan Ave

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 02/12/2025

A headline about Trump in the @nytimes.com which doesn't appear to have been written by the @nytpitchbot.bsky.social.

Screenshot of an article title from the New York Times which reads, "In a Tirade, Trump Calls Somalis 'Garbage' as ICE Prepared Crackdown"

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 24/11/2025

Post a movie where you are from (HT www.petersbilliards.com)

Poster advertising the movie "Uncle Buck." Uncle Buck (John Candy) outside the front door, his relatives inside.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 31/10/2025

I use the Brave browser on both my phone and laptop. Like many other companies Brave makes money displaying ads. You've got to wonder about some of their advertisers. Tiring Eric Trump's keynote certainly wouldn't get me to this conference.

Summaries of two Brave ads for the Blockchain Futurist Conference, one touting Eric Trump's appearance as an inducement to attend.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 29/10/2025

I think all we really need is a portal out of this Bizarro world.

Image of Bizzaro Superman

(from https://www.cbr.com/bizarro-different-superman-dc-comics/)

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 18/10/2025

No Kings signs seen at the Evanston IL No Kings protests today.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 09/10/2025

My son sent me this. I can't guarantee it was shot in Portland, but it sure seems plausible. Completely ridiculing the ICE cubes seems like a good way to respond.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 05/09/2025

Get #ICE out of #Chicago! NorthShoreSaysNO.org View of the Church Street overpass over the Edens Expressway (I-94). The Edens is the likely commuting route for ICE Brown Shirts from Naval Station Great Lakes.

Signs over the Church/Edens overpass. One reads "STOP ICE CRUELTY" on poster boards. The other reads "ICE GO HOME!" with the organization website URL underneath it (NorthShoreSaysNO.org).

People displaying signs along Church Street at the Edens Expressway overpass. One reads "FUND HEALTHCARE not CAGES." The other reads "WE THE PEOPLE MEANS EVERYBODY."

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 11/08/2025

Ukraine Bicycle Project ukrainebicycleproject.com

Front side of t-shirt reading, "Ukraine Bicycle Project, est 2000."

Back of t-shirt reading "Crafting transportation bicycles for service in Ukraine."

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 11/08/2025

Pony Shop, Evanston IL ponyshop.com/about/

Back side of t-shirt from the Pony Shop in Evanston IL, reading "We Stand With Ukraine."

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 28/07/2025

I think many people recognize it's difficult to keep clean. Also, if most bikes are black, are there really other obvious choices? Traditionally, most bikes had at least one contrasting accent color, providing obvious options for housing, bar tape, etc.

Dark blue Fuji The Finest bike with chrome panels and red accents. Medium blue handlebar tape and red cable housing offer further contrasting accent colors.

Medium blue Monti Special with white panels. Red bar tape, cable housing and tire straps provide accents.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 21/04/2025

Honestly, I think this was pretty much on everybody's Bingo card. Sort of like the free space in the middle of the card.

Bingo Card with "Pete Hegseth" as the free spot.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 21/04/2025

Ol' Trumpy is sure making the S&P 500 great again...

S&P 500 performance since the start of 2025, 13% down.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 20/04/2025

My wife and I were in town from Chicago and made it out to the protest. In addition to the actual protesters, many cars passing by were honking their support. Even one or two tour bus drivers honked, probably to the chagrin of a few of their passengers. 😉

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 07/04/2025

Stocks look like they will be in the toilet again tomorrow. Nikkei is currently down ~7% (21:00 EDT).

Snapshot of US stock futures around 21:00 EDT 6 April showing drops of three to five per cent for the three major contracts.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 31/03/2025

Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. They're taking everything they can get their hands on & daring the world to stop them. On April 5th, we're taking to the streets nationwide to say: Hands Off! #HandsOff #April5 handsoff2025.com

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 29/03/2025

Kind of interesting to see his district map. Even in deep red Louisiana his district is contorted to make his seat "safe." Safe as in "safe enough to ignore the needs of his constituents." I'm guessing including Shreveport, Natchitoches, Alexandria or Lake Charles would make it "unsafe."

Speaker Mike Johnson's district map showing how carefully it needed to be drawn to presumably give him a "safe" district, one in which he could safely ignore the needs of his constituents.

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 21/03/2025

Saw this goose a week or so ago calling for his/her mate (or flock). Not sure I’ve ever seen a goose up on the top of a building like that before (five stories up). Maybe s/he was stuck? #birds

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 09/03/2025

Based on the boost in crowd size at Daley Plaza yesterday compared with other recent protests I’ve attended, I, for one, wish every day was International Women’s Day. I would prefer to be governed by overladies than overlords.

Sign from International Women’s Day protest in Chicago reading “We will not go back!”

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Skip Montanaro @smontanaro.net · 07/03/2025

Here's the flyer for Chicago.

International Women's Day Chicago flyer. Saturday, March 8th, 11:30 rally at Daley Plaza, 12:30 march to Trump Tower.

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