While most of us were recovering from all the turkey and pie last Friday, a showdown was brewing at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. As of Monday, there were two people claiming to be the new acting director of the federal agency.
And while the CFPB might not yet be a household name, perhaps it should: The agency's director is far too powerful, and the tussle over who should possess that power, President Trump's choice or an Obama administration holdover, may have far-reaching consequences.
The question of who rightfully leads the agency is a complex one, full of technical arguments and arcane legal concepts. But the real story is that the position of director (or acting director) is just too powerful. The actions of the agency over the last several years are evidence enough — and if the position were not so powerful, no one would care this much about who becomes acting director.
The story began earlier this month when Richard Cordray announced he would resign as director before December. Trump announced his intent to name Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as acting director until a new one could be confirmed by the Senate.
However, just hours before resigning Friday night, Cordray tried to handpick his own successor, naming longtime staffer Leandra English to the position of deputy director, with the intention that she'd become acting director on his departure.
It's a question of which statute takes precedence — the Federal Vacancy Reform Act, which suggests Trump's nominee should now run the agency, or Dodd-Frank, which suggests the position should fall to Cordray's choice — and isn't an easy one to answer. But regardless of who's selected, too much can be done by the acting director in just the months it will take for a new director to be nominated and confirmed.
The CFPB was created under Dodd-Frank as an independent agency, and that law does not allow the president to fire the director simply because of a policy disagreement. This isn't unusual, but few other independent agencies are led by individual directors. The Securities and Exchange Commission, for example, includes Republican and Democratic commissioners, and requires any one member to secure the agreement of at least two colleagues before taking meaningful action.
It's this combination of independence and sole directorship that makes the agency so unusual — and makes the position of director so important.
As director, Cordray has followed a policy driven by ideological zeal. And the agency's short history demonstrates how much damage one person can do in control of the CFPB.
The agency was given wide-ranging authority over consumer financial matters. But Cordray wasn't content to stay within even those broad bounds, seeking to trespass in the areas of school accreditations and auto sales as well. He has imposed unreasonable penalties, unilaterally reinterpreted longstanding regulatory guidance and increased the fine imposed on one company by more than 18 times the amount initially levied — for conduct that was not even illegal when it happened.
He has charged forward with a rule limiting short-term loans without due consideration of the harm it will cause to vulnerable Americans.
Meanwhile, under his leadership, the agency failed to uncover the widespread fraud at Wells Fargo, relying instead on the LA Times to break the story. After the story broke, the agency was happy, however, to take full credit for stopping the Wells Fargo fraud.
For those who support his vision, the fact that he wielded enormous power was a great boon. But the flip side is that Mulvaney, as acting director, will wield the same power, but to forward a very different vision. The solution, then, is to make the position less important by diffusing its power. As others have argued, the agency — if it must exist at all — would be better structured as a commission, with each commissioner acting as a check on the others.
Cordray may have had the best intentions in pursuing his left-wing policies, but good government requires that we acknowledge human frailty by limiting any one person's ability to inflict damage. This is the guiding principle behind the Constitution's separation of powers, pitting one branch of government against another, limiting the power of each and requiring that all be ultimately accountable to the people.
As it stands, the CFPB's structure enshrines just the opposite, rendering it accountable to no one and making its directorship far too sweet a prize.
Thaya Brook Knight is associate director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives.


Recently Clare and Conor booked me for their wedding photography at Notley Tythe Barn. I love a rustic wedding at a tythe barn so if you are getting married at one of the Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire or Wiltshire tythe barns please do get in touch!
I was at a wedding fair at Notley Tythe Barn, Long Crendon, near Thame and Clare and her Mum came by to see me and introduce themselves. We had a chat and before Clare left she mentioned bringing their dog to the pre wedding shoot. I really enjoy photographing dogs, I could photograph dogs all day long and in my time have photographed all sorts from terriers to Newfoundlands. It's been a while since I have photographed an Old English Sheep dog but Clare and Conor brought their 8 month old 'Old English' with them to the shoot, called Eddie! I was a little taken back when I opened the door but not quite so as our cat who sensed something large and hairy at the door and legged it upstairs.


Independence Brewing Company's co-owners Rob and Amy Cartwright resisted the title early on because they felt like demand for the beer would quickly exceed the brewery's capacity (and humbleness, of course). But every waking thought finds its way to a publishing media nowadays, so delighted or not, the moniker was retweeted, favorited, and liked many thousands of times over.
It is Independence Brewing's passion that they instill in every drop of beer that helped justify them as "America's Beer," while the entire brewery team made sure the beer drinkers would find it at notable local restaurants, bars, and grocery stores.
Love it or hate it, a person's beer of choice is one of the most polarizing topics in the United States. Even when the number of breweries in the U.S. fell below one hundred in the 1980s, Americans still possessed an unquenchable desire for the hops and high quality two-row malts. That's why I laugh when people refer to Budweiser as the "King of Beers" or how interesting a person is for drinking Dos Equis. Is Bud Light really "America's Beer"? Yes. On opposite day.
I don't think Jack Buddrinker even knows the swill in his Hypercolor dispenser box in the fridge is made from 30% corn. But it's cheap and it gets the job done. Your Bud and Miller light beer fans will go so far as plan their night around what bar carries their favorite shaped bottles. And when you talk to them in the lavatory, you'll find that most of them just drink what their Daddy drank.
Fear not, disenfranchised beer drinkers. This Saturday, October 22nd, Independence Brewing Company celebrates their seventh anniversary at their brewery in Austin, TX. Admission is free, but it would be careless of me not to recommend that you bring $12 for the commemorative anniversary glass. Join beautiful people just like yourself, possibly Sebastian mentioned above, and this scribe at the brewery from 4-8pm. Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World, so you can bet there will be some of that there too.


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How you can eat 100 straight days at Smashburger for $100
Smashburger fans rejoice
How you can eat 100 straight days at Smashburger for $100 Smashburger fans rejoice Check out this story on bucyrustelegraphforum.com: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/11/01/you-can-eat-smashburger-100-straight-days-100/1850341002/
Chris Pugh, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 6:42 p.m. ET Nov. 1, 2018
CEO Dave Prokupek talks about how Smashburger got its name and offers some secrets to success in USA TODAY's Breaking Through series. Eileen Blass, USA TODAY
A burger from Smashburger.(Photo: Enquirer file)
Like Smashburger? This might be the deal for you.
For $100, the eatery is advertising a Smash Pass which offers one free entrée every day for 100 days between Nov. 5-Feb. 19 at participating locations.
"Our fans raved about the original Smash Pass and have been begging for it to make a comeback," David Martinelli, Vice President of Marketing at Smashburger said in a press release. "We wanted to elevate the experience for our most loyal fans and really give them a lot of burger for their buck."
The deal can only be purchased online.
The Smash Pass™ is back! Unlock 100 burgers in 100 days for just $100. Try new burgers, Triple Doubles, or just order your favorite burger 100 times. No judgment here. #Smashburger
Learn More: https://t.co/RLXGLOcfcPpic.twitter.com/Cyh7VYOOqo
— Smashburger (@Smashburger) September 28, 2018
Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/11/01/you-can-eat-smashburger-100-straight-days-100/1850341002/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Nerd Nite No. 50: Nerd Nite Teams Up with the APS!
Hey Nerds! We're at a bit of a milestone here in Philly– the 50th edition of nerd-based entertainment in the city of brotherly love! How awesome is that? We're celebrating in two ways: first, on July 1 we'll be presenting a series of talks in conjunction with the American Philosophical Society and, second, on July 9 we'll be celebrating 5 YEARS in Philly with a party. We hope to see you at both!
So what's up for July 1?
Bernard Brown, "Spermataphores, Orgies, and Chin Grinding"
Philly herper Bernard Brown will explore the hot cold-blooded sex lives of our local salamanders, including the spring 'breeding aggregations' of spotted salamanders, newt leg locks, and the seductive dance of the diminutive redback salamander.
About Bernard: Bernard Brown has been herping Philadelphia for over 10 years. He has written about natural history topics for Grid Magazine, is the Philadelphia County Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey (PARS), and co-hosts the Urban Wildlife podcast.
Jane Boyd, "Bears in the Backyard, Plants in the Attic: Collecting at the American Philosophical Society"
Before Philadelphia was chock-full of museums and libraries, there was a rectangular redbrick building next to Independence Hall where all the cool stuff went. During the late 1700s and early 1800s, people all over the country sent strange and interesting things to the "ingenious and curious men" at the American Philosophical Society. Find out about Thomas Jefferson's live grizzly bears, Lewis and Clark's pressed plant specimens, Charles Willson Peale's mastodon skeleton, and other remarkable items that filled Philosophical Hall.
About Jane: Dr. Jane E. Boyd gets around town as an independent curator and museum consultant specializing in interdisciplinary exhibitions and projects, on topics ranging from natural history to Civil War medicine to chemistry sets. She has worked for the APS Museum and Library, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Chemical Heritage Foundation, the Mütter Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Wagner Free Institute of Science. More on her website at www.jane-e-boyd.com.
Steve Alt, "So You Think You Know Plants…"
…But you probably don't, at least not about their origins. While certain founders were hard at work in the business of creating a country, other colonists were exploring the natural history of the New World. With thousands of new species to investigate and a substantial market in the import and export of exotic plants, there was a lot of green to be made in the greenhouse. This talk will explore the world of agriculture and horticulture in the 18th century.
About Steve: Steve Alt started farming in Plainsboro, NJ when he was just a wee lad. When the malls came to cover the strawberry and potato fields of NJ, Steve moved to botanical gardens and eventually trained in horticulture at the Morris Arboretum. He has a BA in history from the University of Pennsylvania, serves as a museum guide at the American Philosophical Society Museum, and has been in the landscaping and horticulture business in Chestnut Hill for 16 years.
What else can you expect? Lauren Duguid is going to show us all that you can play some pretty sweet music using a saw!
When: Wednesday, July 1
What time: Doors open at 4pm. Show starts at 7:30pm
How much: $5 cover gets you admission plus happy hour specials all night
Where: Frankford Hall, 1210 Frankford Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19125
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: animals, APS, history, history of science, horticulture, live music, museums, natural history, Philadelphia history, philosophy, plants, salamanders, weird science | No Comments »
Nerd Nite No. 49 and 49.5: June 10 and June 18
Yo Nerds!
Please note we have some changes in June to our regularly scheduled program. First up, due to Philly Beer Week, we have pushed back our June Nerd Nite to Wednesday, June 10. We're still working out the fine details, but you can expect to hear more about the Academy of Natural Sciences' *new* Grossology exhibit, enjoy a discussion with local artist Blair Campbell, learn about why mushrooms should be considered superfoods, and and hear some beats from local 8-bit musician Pixel8ter. All the talk info is below. Remember, the show will start at 7:30 sharp at Frankford Hall with a $5 cover!
Michael Kalaras: "Mushroom Nutrition: Shining a light on the magical world of mushrooms"
Edible mushrooms, often relegated to lowly side dish fare, are a complex package of nutrients better suited to superfood status. This talk will focus on how a fungus grown in the dark can become a rich source of the important "sunshine" vitamin, the significance of a unique antioxidant and the role mushrooms may have in human health.
About Michael:
Dr. Michael Kalaras is a Research Assistant for the Center for Plant and Mushroom Foods for Health in the Department of Food Science at Penn State University. He received his B.S. and Ph.D. in Food Science at Penn State where his interest in the nutritive properties of mushrooms began. He has worked to develop a rapid method of vitamin D2 enrichment of mushrooms using UV light and recently taught a course devoted to the science of mushrooms.
Blair Campbell: "Pop Culture Pixels"
Blair will talk about his journey and process behind his career in making his digital geeky art.
About Blair:
Blair J. Campbell is a South Jersey native that has always been a geeky and an artist. Recently he's found a way to mash both together and make a living off of it. He can be found most days messing around online, sipping coffee, and playing with his pug.
Mary Bailey: Animal Grossology: Putting the "Fun" in "Funky"
Stinky, slimy, puky, grimy; animals have some NASTY habits. From coprophagy to cannibalism, the creatures of the world can definitely make you say, "Ew, gross!" But never fear…Mother Nature has her reasons! Find out about the often disgusting, always fascinating, adaptations that give some animals the evolutionary edge, and explore the science behind why it makes us humans feel all icky.
About Mary:
Mary is a consummate conservationist, avid traveler, and slightly above average birdwatcher with slightly below average binoculars. Her finest accomplishment to date is making Sir David Attenborough laugh out loud when she told him she saw 137 species of birds during her Big Year.
Music by Pixel8ter between talks!
Also, because we can't say no to evenings that mix beer and education–especially ones that involve visits from NASA and the International Space Station(!!)–we'll be hosting Nerd Nite No. 49.5 on Thursday, June 18 also at Frankford Hall. This pay-what-you-wish edition will give Philly Nerds a chance to learn more about NASA's involvement in the space station, via a NASA scientist and astronaut! We promise we'll fill you in on the specific talk details when we hear more!
Team Nerd Nite Philly
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: 8bit sound, academy of natural sciences, animals, astronauts, astronomy, birds, chiptunes, food science, geek culture, gross, International Space Station, mushrooms, NASA, nutrition, pop culture, space, sunshine, superfood, video games | No Comments »
Nerd Nite No. 45: Passenger Pigeons, Cravings, Working Dogs, Plus Music from Sidewalk Atlas!
Greetings Nerds! We have a great line up for the 45th Nerd Nite Philly (and first of 2015!). We know you're itching to find out what we have planned, so let's do this:
Passenger Pigeon – The Disintegration of a Species
It doesn't matter if we all die. – The Cure
Trying to find humor in the story of the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon is akin to finding sunshine in a Cure song. Well, a good Cure song anyway. But that is what Kate Garchinsky, writer and illustrator, aims to do for Nerd Nite. Using the timeline of her own life, she will share her experience of the preventable extinction of the Passenger Pigeon in words, pictures, and depressing song lyrics–one hundred years post-mortem.
Bio: Kate Garchinsky's first word was "bird." Now she is a writer and illustrator of natural history for children who also likes to draw dead birds. She began working on her book, "Passenger Pigeons: Their Amazing Life and Tragic Extinction" a few years ago, inspired by her bird rehabilitation volunteer work, and a life-changing Wikipedia search. She also is currently illustrating two more non-fiction picture books for children, due out in 2016 and 2018. Kate has exhibited her Passenger Pigeon artwork at the Audubon Center at Mill Grove, and the Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin. Visit Kate online at:
www.penguinart.com
twitter.com/katesnowbird
facebook.com/KateGarchinsky
instagram.com/katesnowbird
It's better than it tastes: How a food looks affects liking for the taste of the food.
Although most people think that the flavor of a food is the primary driver of liking or disliking that food, research has shown that it is only one of many factors influencing liking. Since "the first taste is with the eyes" we have, not surprisingly, found that how a food looks has a big effect on how much we like a food. This is good news for those of us who do not cook like Marc Vetri but would like to have family and friends enjoy what we make for them.
Bio: Debra A. Zellner is currently Professor of Psychology at Montclair State University in New Jersey and on sabbatical leave at the Monell Chemical Senses Center doing a research project with the Vetri Foundation. She is the author of numerous research articles and book chapters on the liking and perception of food. Her primary interest is understanding why people like the foods they like.
Science has gone to the dogs
We all know that dogs are pretty smart and some dogs have jobs. Now dogs are going to college to become scientists! At the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, dogs are helping find lost people, identify cancer and answer the age old question, why do dogs eat grass (actually that one is still a mystery).
Bio: Dr. Cindy Otto, a veterinarian and scientist founded and directs the Penn Vet Working Dog Center to dig into the questions that "only a dog nose". She incorporates her experience as a clinical veterinarian (specializing in both emergency medicine and sports medicine), a disaster responder working with search dogs, a research scientist and a dog trainer into the coolest job ever.
We'll have 2 intermissions filled with music from returning band Sidewalk Atlas.
This all goes down at the famed Frankford Hall, per usual.
Doors open at 4pm. Show starts at 7:30pm
$5 cover gets you admission plus happy hour specials all night
Frankford Hall, 1210 Frankford Ave.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: animals, art, birds, cravings, dogs, food, Monell, Nerd Nite Alumni, Penn | No Comments »
Nerd Nite No. 40: Is it True That Size Isn't All the Matters? Plus the wacky world of enhancement drugs and controversial librarians!
We're ready to rock you with another line up of Philadelphia's finest Nerds on Wednesday, August 13. Here are all the details you could want:
"It's Not Just Size That Matters: Conflict, Competition and Dominance in the Animal World" by Marina Haynes Many people think that to be the "top dog" you have to be bigger and stronger than your opponent. Size definitely helps but that not the only thing influencing how groups of animals interact. Learn about the many ways animals (and people) deal with conflict and competition and learn to be a better observer of behavior in the process!
Bio: Marina Haynes is the Curator of KidZooU at the Philadelphia Zoo, the Zoo's newest exhibit and largest in its history. Her academic background is in animal behavior and has conducted research on animal play behavior. At the Zoo, she is responsible for the management of the widest range of animal taxa in any one area including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and fish. Her passion is training animals and people using positive reinforcement techniques.
"Drugs are good? A history of "enhancement" drug use in policy, sport, and life" by Ross Aikins What do Nazis, Francis Crick, Lance Armstrong, The Beatles, and one in eight college students have in common? They all use drugs to better (and sometimes worse). From substances of enlightenment to substances of abuse, the complex, enduring relationship between people and drugs continues to evolve. Somewhere along the way in America, we decided that some drugs were good, some were bad, and sometimes we changed our minds. This talk shouldn't make you want to reconsider doing drugs, but it might make you reconsider "drugs."
Bio: Ross Aikins got into drug and health research as a "recovering Californian" from UCLA, and is currently on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, where he specializes in college student health, military veteran populations, and other issues in higher education. Prior to coming to Philadelphia less than a year ago (!), he studied so-called "enhancement drug use" in literature, science, war, sport, and society as an NIH postdoctoral fellow in New York City—focusing specifically on the nonmedical use of Ritalin, Adderall and other stimulant medications among college students. When not boldly exploring the menu of "Wawa" or practicing his pronunciation of Philly suburbs, Ross enjoys comedy and general NBA nerdery. A chapter he co-wrote on PED use in college athletics will appear in the book Scandals in College Sports, to be released in March.
"Unexpected results from a lifetime of microplannning:random chance, unconscious schematics,finding an adversary, going viral without getting sick & the Great Librarian War of 2014" by Kyle Cassidy In early 2014 Kyle Cassidy published what seemed to be an innocuous photo essay about librarians in Slate magazine. Within hours it went viral and ultimately became the most viewed series of photos Slate had ever published. Unexpectedly controversial, it spawned a documentary, narrated by Neil Gaiman, attracted the attention of publishers and began an intense discussion about image, body image, and the future of libraries that is still resonating.
Bio: Kyle Cassidy is the award winning photographer behind the documentary photo books "Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in their Homes" and "War Paint: Tattoo Culture and the Armed Forces". He most recently photographed "Geek Knits", a book about knitting and nerds written by Joan of Dark and published by St. Martins Press, it comes out in December. Currently he's hard at work photographing science fiction writers desks and roller derby players. www.kylecassidy.com @kylecassidy
Plus, music by Tom Kelly. Think nerdy videogame-inspired tunes.
As always, we'll be at Frankford Hall, 1210 Frankford Avenue.
Show starts at 7:30 sharp.
Cover is $5
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: animals, drugs, geekadelphia, librarians, Penn | No Comments »
Nerd Nite Brunch: Body vs. Booze
A Nerd Nite that is held during the day? GAMECHANGER!
Yes friends, we are teaming up with the Philadelphia Science Festival for a special Nerd Nite Brunch event focusing on booze and its wonderful/detrimental effects upon the body! Along with a great brunch menu from Frankford Hall and some fun giveaways and activities, there will also be the following talks:
Aman Goyal, Julie Lyzinski Nettleton and Noelle Melartin, "The Not So Happy Drunk"
There are a lot of misconceptions about the effects of alcohol on the brain and body. Think of this talk as an "Alcohol 101" on how to maximize the fun of drinking while minimizing the negative consequences.
Aman Goyal, Julie Lyzinski Nettleton and Noelle Melartin all work for the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Program Initiatives. They bring their combined years of education, experience and expertise to this Nerd Nite for what promises to be a fascinating speech.
Ava Forte Vitali, "Lore, Legend, Lush: Drinking in Ancient Egypt"
The story of the body vs. booze in an epic war against the hangover is a tale as old as time…. or is it? Beer is one of the most important elements in the ancient Egyptian myth the 'Destruction of Mankind' – and not in the way you think! This lecture will discuss the role of beer and wine in ancient society, particularly ancient Egypt, where it figured prominently both in the everyday world and in religion, ritual, and mythology.
Trained archaeologist and art historian Ava Forte Vitali is a Featured Lecturer at the Morbid Anatomy Library and Museum in Brooklyn, New York. Her series, "Death and the Occult in the Ancient World" aims to bridge the gap between the educated, academic community and the eager, interested public. She has excavated in both Egypt and Turkey, and completed her Master's Degree at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, where she focused on domestic cult in Ancient Egypt. She currently works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in collections management for Greek and Roman Art.
Dr. Michael Oshinsky, PhD, "Drunk Rats and Your Hangover"
Dr. Oshinsky will be discussing how alcohol is broken down by the body and how this leads to the nasty symptoms of a hangover. Using animal models of migraine, he discovered the cause of the dreaded hangover headache and a scientific basis for its treatment.
Michael Oshinsky, PhD, combines a passion for science with a desire to help migraine sufferers. Dr. Oshinsky is currently an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at the Thomas Jefferson University, where he works closely with doctors at the Jefferson Headache Center to study the most complicated areas of headache medicine. Dr. Oshinsky's research focuses on understanding migraine and chronic headache. Using animal models of migraine, he has developed methods for studying the mechanism of action of migraine treatments and hangover headache. In his spare time, Dr. Oshinsky enjoys spending time with his children, whom he tries to "inspire to make a difference.
Plus: Music by Los Festingos!
The particulars:
Show starts at noon.
$5 cover gets you admission and happy hour specials.
The Philly Nerd Nite Team
Posted in 2014 | Tags: animals, beer, brunch, hangovers, Penn, Philadelphia Science Festival | No Comments »


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Posted inEconomic Justice
How can MATA get better if it keeps getting smaller?
Route cuts, low ridership and underfunding hurt Memphis' public transportation system and the people who rely on it
by Hannah Grabenstein December 3, 2021 December 2, 2021
Since last month's route redesign, the 12 Mallory bus, which travels through South Memphis, runs every two hours instead of once an hour. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50
Like many Memphians, my primary mode of transportation is a car. Part of the front bumper is attached with zip ties I bought at a hardware store and the windows rattle, but it drives fine.
I've never needed to take a city bus.
On Nov. 7, the Memphis Area Transit Authority introduced a route redesign for its bus system, aiming to bring the map more in line with the Memphis 3.0 Transit Vision plan – which sets an ambitious goal for the city's public transportation system by 2040 – and reduce inefficiency and areas of low ridership. I was curious about the changes and how they affected people who rely on the bus. It seemed like they could be disruptive, if not devastating.
The 38 Boxtown route was cut, mostly replaced by portions of the 69 Winchester. The 31 Firestone and 82 Germantown were also eliminated, replaced by on-demand rideshare services. The 4 Walker now comes every 90 minutes instead of every 60. The 11 Frayser runs every hour instead of every half hour on weekdays. And the 12 Mallory and the 28 Airport now come every two hours instead of every hour.
Advocates for bus riders in communities that lost lines or decreased frequency are furious.
"They're taxpayers and they deserve reliable, sufficient transportation," said Sammie Hunter, co-chair of the Memphis Bus Riders Union. He thinks cutting routes leads to decreased ridership, which ultimately hurts people who depend on the bus.
"A big city like this here, we need a good, sufficient transportation system. I think if they ran the buses frequently like they're supposed to, I think a lot of people would go ride."
Sammie Hunter, co-chair of Memphis Bus Riders Union
Public transportation is vital to low-income communities, and MATA is no exception. Experts and riders alike say a functioning public transit allows low-income people to reliably move around without having to own a car, which can be prohibitively expensive. But nearly everyone also agrees MATA's current system is insufficient, at best. So why the cuts, especially when the long-term goal is more service?
On a brisk Veterans Day morning, a colleague and I went to the downtown William Hudson Transit Center to ride a bus. We wanted to ask passengers their opinions about the changes. I had a route planned and had triple-checked the schedule, so I expected it to be simple – get on, talk to people, get off.
It turned out to be a lot more complicated.
Sammie Hunter, co-chair for the Memphis Bus Riders Union (left), stands at a bus stop on East Brooks Road while waiting on a transfer during his commute home in 2017. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50
According to a MATA spokesperson, the authority generally redesigns its routes three times a year, in the spring, summer and fall. Some redesigns are light, altering only a few lines or times, but this one was more substantial.
One of the main purposes of the November change was to eliminate routes, and where possible, to address the major, immediate problem of not enough bus drivers.
In Memphis, MATA ridership plunged from more than 570,000 passengers in April 2019 to just under 200,000 passengers a year later.
Ridership has been grim, too, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, which walloped public transportation systems nationwide. In Memphis, MATA ridership plunged from more than 570,000 passengers in April 2019 to just under 200,000 passengers a year later. Even after temporarily eliminating fares, then capping them at $1 per trip, riders still haven't returned to pre-pandemic numbers. In August 2021, MATA served about 256,000 passengers.
It hasn't all been bad news – with the changes, one line, the 30 Brooks, now has Sunday service and added additional stops.There are also signs that replacements for the cut routes might be effective. Still, the result is unequivocally less service.
Since its inception in 1975, MATA has operated the fixed route bus system, trolleys and paratransit vehicles for people with disabilities. They service not just Memphis, but also Germantown, Lakeland and Bartlett.
In 2019, the city adopted Memphis 3.0, a comprehensive plan to guide land use and development over the next two decades. Transit Vision is the city's transportation arm of that plan. It outlines the goal for how Memphis public transit will look by 2040, with substantially more frequent buses.
The final report on Transit Vision notes that between 2005 and 2015, ridership fell by 28%, and MATA cut service by 22%. "The danger is that, if it is not halted, transit will decline into irrelevancy," the report notes. That was in March 2019 – a full year before the pandemic more than halved ridership.
Transit Vision hopes to "reverse the decline" by reinvesting in service. There's a "Short-Term Recommended Network," to be implemented by 2022, as well as the long-term goals for 2040. They require an additional investment of $30 million annually, now bumped up to $35 million with inflation, according to the authority. To date, no entity has provided that money.
The long-term vision has more routes and more frequent buses, requiring about four times the existing MATA service, plus more vehicles and staff and better bus stops and infrastructure, the report says. Buses will always come at least once an hour, though the vast majority of the routes are designed to have buses every half hour, 15 or 10 minutes.
There are nearly two decades to implement the long-term vision, though 2022 is fast approaching. But over the past two years, ridership and investment have only declined. There's time left, but also a long way to go.
The William Hudson Transit Center, in Downtown, is one of Memphis' main transfer points. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50.
The William Hudson Transit Center is one of a few main transfer points in MATA's system. On the day I was there, the terminal, a few blocks from the Mississippi River, was clean. Despite the "No Smoking" signs, it smelled like cigarettes. One man got in a workout, doing push-ups and mountain climbers. Another wore a Santa hat.
My colleague, photographer Andrea Morales, and I arrived early at 8:45 a.m., not wanting to miss the 9:15 bus. We'd picked the 12 Mallory, a route whose wait times had doubled with the redesign from one to two hours, and we planned to take it to the Airways Transit Center, also a major transfer point. The route would take about an hour.
As we waited, we talked with passengers. Some hadn't known about the redesign. Some were unbothered, some were frustrated. One man initially declined to talk, but about 10 minutes later, he approached me, wanting to vent about how long his wait was. Floyd McKinney was frustrated with MATA, especially compared to the public transportation system in Chicago. He'd lived there for years before moving back home to Memphis five years ago to care for his brother.
"Things have gotten worse since 1977. It was in good shape then. Since I've moved back here from a big city like Chicago, it's ridiculous."
Floyd McKinney, bus passenger
"Things have gotten worse since 1977. It was in good shape then. Since I've moved back here from a big city like Chicago, it's ridiculous," he told me.
Maybe we were distracted talking to McKinney, or maybe the bus wasn't as clearly labeled as I'd have expected (some had their route number identified only with a piece of printer paper taped to the windshield). But 9:15 came and went and we didn't see the 12 Mallory. We didn't know whether we'd missed the bus or if it was late.
I looked online. The bus was many stops south of us, though there was no easy way to tell which way it was heading. My car was at the Airways Transit Center and Andrea's was parked near us. Could we wait for another bus?
I texted a number I'd found on MATA's website, which required me to figure out what station number the William Hudson Transit Center was, and got an auto-reply that there were five upcoming buses before 10:10. Andrea pulled up the route map on her phone, and we cross-referenced the two documents before we realized that no bus would take us to the Airways Transit Center for more than a half hour. We weren't even on the bus yet and we were already stuck – except we had a car.
By definition, the people who use MATA are likely forced to by circumstances, said Brian D. Taylor, director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
MATA data show that 71% of its riders are from households earning less than $20,000
People use public transportation for one of two reasons, he said. Either they have to, because they can't drive or don't have a car, or they want to, because parking where they're going is expensive. The second group "vanished" during the pandemic, Taylor said. When a bus system operates as infrequently as once an hour, it's almost exclusively for the first group.
MATA data show that 71% of its riders are from households earning less than $20,000, according to a spokesperson. According to the Bus Riders Union, 90% of riders are Black and a majority are women. As a whole, Memphis has a poverty rate of nearly 22%.
At the Hudson Transit Center, Floyd McKinney enters a 57 St. Francis route bus, on a November morning. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50.
"Public transit disproportionately is a conveyance for disadvantaged travelers, low-income folks and others who are disproportionately people of color, disproportionately immigrants. And it sort of doubled down on that in the pandemic," Taylor said.
But MATA's problems are not solely a symptom of the pandemic. It's been underfunded for decades, said Andrew Guthrie, assistant professor of city and regional planning at the University of Memphis.
"MATA actually does deliver a respectable amount of service for what we spend on it on a dollar per dollar basis compared with similar U.S. cities," he said. "It's just that we spend much less per capita than even your typical mid-sized city in the American South."
Its budget hovers around $70 million a year, said CEO Gary Rosenfeld, and in an ideal world, he would like to see that doubled. At the very least, he said, they need the $35 million that Transit Vision counts on.
Federal funds make up about 35% to 40% of MATA's budget, while Tennessee supplies about 10%. The remainder is local funding, including money from the city and collected fares.
Gary Rosenfeld, MATA CEO
The city provides the majority of MATA's local funding, Rosenfeld said. Federal funds make up about 35% to 40% of the budget, while Tennessee supplies about 10%. The remainder is local funding, including money from the city and collected fares.
The city operating budget for fiscal year 2020, which was created before the pandemic, allocated about $29 million to the authority. This year, it was $19 million. By contrast, the city allocated $281 million to police this year, up from $273 million in the last budget. (For this fiscal year, the city also allocated about $2 million in Capital Improvement Project funds to MATA, plus another $2 million that's carried over from prior years.)
In the past, Shelby County has directed some money to MATA but it's not a substantial funding source. Mayor Lee Harris proposed a tax on every third vehicle to help fund MATA in early 2020, but it died without strong support. As of November, the county allocated $2.5 million to the authority entirely for capital spending, a spokesperson said, and in June, they appropriated $1.3 million in operating funds.
City Councilman Martavius Jones chairs the Transportation Committee. He knows MATA needs funding, which is part of the reason he proposed a 31 cent tax this June. About $10 million from the revenue would have gone to the authority, but no other councilor supported it.
The budget shortfall is a long-term problem, but the immediate issue is that MATA is short 67 bus drivers and mechanics, plus eight administrative positions, according to Rosenfeld. Without licensed drivers, it doesn't matter how ambitious MATA routes are.
"It's not just important to have a schedule. It's important to be able to meet the schedule," Rosenfeld said. "And we were looking for ways to reduce the number of CDL drivers that we needed on a day in, day out basis, yet increase different other types of services."
The different types of services Rosenfeld is referring to are two on-demand ride-hailing services that use eight-person passenger vans, like public versions of Uber or Lyft. One service, Ready!, will ultimately have six zones within which riders can request door-to-door ride service; three are currently available. The other, Groove On-Demand, operates largely Downtown. Ready! is currently free and Groove is $1.25 a ride.
Ready! and Groove zones have replaced some of the discontinued bus routes, including the Firestone route, which is now served by Groove On-Demand. There are also Ready! zones in Northaven and Frayser; Boxtown, Whitehaven and Westwood; and Cordova. From Rosenfeld's perspective, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Rosenfeld said Ready! has transported around 13,000 people since it began in August. "So not only are we providing a different type of service, it's widely accepted, and we've got plenty of positive comments coming from the public with respect to the ease of its use."
The benefit to MATA of the on-demand services is that drivers of the van (which can also seat two people who use assisted devices) don't need to have the special commercial drivers licenses required for bus drivers. For the 38 Boxtown, for example, MATA was able to replace one bus with six Ready! vans.
And while the bus transported 723 passengers in September, Rosenfeld said the Ready! vans in Boxtown are transporting about 6,000 boardings per month, on average.
"It is morally wrong to force on-demand transit service on underserved neighborhoods such as Boxtown, which would rather have regular bus service with more frequencies, not a transit service which will demand grown men and women to call for a transit ride every day."
Johnnie Mosley, founder of bus advocacy group Citizens for Better Service
Not everyone is excited about the Ready! service. Some bus riders prefer the convenience of knowing exactly when and where the bus will stop and feel comfortable planning their rides around a fixed route. There's no guarantee that vans will come on time, and riders' routes are also dependent upon the other passengers' requests.
In an August 2020 MATA board meeting, advocates pleaded with Rosenfeld and the authority to not cut the 6 Northaven, the 31 Firestone and the 38 Boxtown, according to the meeting's minutes.
"It is morally wrong to force on-demand transit service on underserved neighborhoods such as Boxtown, which would rather have regular bus service with more frequencies, not a transit service which will demand grown men and women to call for a transit ride every day," said Johnnie Mosley, founder of bus advocacy group Citizens for Better Service.
Mosley, who's seen bus routes disappear, is worried that the one-year pilot Ready! program will go the same way.
Rosenfeld said that shouldn't be a concern, since interest has been substantial enough to continue the program. MATA would be "foolish" to discontinue it, he said.
But for bus riders who feel that public transportation options are dwindling in their neighborhoods, the promise might not be enough.
"You have been given money to do certain things, but you have not been using that money to provide adequate public transportation," Mosley told me. "It's not a funding issue. It's a priority issue."
We decided to ride the route in reverse. Andrea and I drove to the Airport Transit Center, and finally boarded the 12 Mallory bus heading north just before 10 a.m. Two other riders got on with us.
As we wound our way back Downtown, we spoke to some of the dozen or so bus riders. Some, like one man who was willing to talk but didn't want to be identified, were heading to work.
He works in a restaurant in East Memphis, he said, and five days a week he catches the bus at his house in South Memphis. He rides it Downtown, then transfers to a different line that takes him out east.
In total, the trip takes him more than an hour. He'd boarded the bus a little after 10:30 a.m. so he could be at work by 1 p.m. – the bus wouldn't come again until 12:30 p.m. Someday, he said, he'd like to own a car.
Lonnie Brack rides the 12 Mallory bus to downtown Memphis on his way to Veterans Day events. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50.
Also on the 12 Mallory were two men, both heading Downtown to look for special Veterans Day meals, though they weren't together. They were retired from the Army; 73-year-old Dwight Moody served in Vietnam and 68-year-old Lonnie Brack in Germany.
Brack, a former bus driver himself, said he'd waited for nearly two hours for the 12 Mallory. Like many others, he hadn't realized the schedule had changed, and he said he saw a bus – ostensibly a number 12 – fly past him. Though it's not clear why the bus wouldn't have stopped for him, by the time he eventually boarded at around 10:45 a.m., he said he'd been waiting since just before 9 a.m.
Cuddling at the back of the bus were Romeo Boddie, 33, and his partner, EgyIpt King, 19. They'd left Living in Christ Restoration House, a shelter where they were staying to sightsee Downtown, they said. Both are anemic, and the morning had been cold and rainy, so they found refuge on the bus until the weather cleared. Boddie's lived in Memphis for 25 years and wanted to show Beale Street to King, who just moved from Colorado, then grab a bite to eat.
"What if there's a storm and the bus is the only shelter some people have? Then they have to wait outside two hours in an ice storm because they came three minutes late?"
EgyIpt King, bus passenger
The bus is better than walking or calling for a ride, Boddie said. But the new schedule is "stressful," since missing the bus means waiting hours.
You can't always explain to your boss that you missed the only bus for two hours, King added. And what about people like herself, she wanted to know, who can't stay in the cold without getting sick?
EgyIpt King and Romeo Boddie head Downtown for some sightseeing on the 12 Mallory bus line. Photo by Andrea Morales for MLK50
The short-term problem of the lack of drivers and mechanics may resolve itself as the labor market evens out. A MATA spokesperson said the authority is developing a program for people to get CDL training and licenses that also may help staff drivers.
But long-term, it's not clear who's funding MATA's shortfall.
"If it's not coming from the city, I don't know where it's coming from," Jones said. And with an upcoming election, he doubts officials will want to raise taxes. When I said I've been trying to figure out how MATA will fulfil the Transit Vision plan without more money, he laughed.
"The answer is they're not! It's impossible," he said. He plans to introduce a tax increase next year, though he doesn't have high hopes for it.
"If we're not making the commitment to fund MATA in order to provide the service levels that MATA says it needs, the result of that is going to be reduced service levels. You directly get what you pay for."
Martavius Jones, Memphis City Councilman and chair of the Transportation Committee
There will be new money coming from the recently-passed infrastructure act, Rosenfeld said. In all likelihood, some money will go to operations, but there will certainly be federal funds allocated for capital spending, like the purchase of new buses or shelters.
One of MATA's major shortcomings is also one of the things it cannot change: It's trying to serve a city designed less for pedestrians and public transit and more for urban and suburban sprawl.
The bus routes have never had a major redesign, Guthrie said, and many follow old streetcar lines that no longer make sense for the city's layout. Over the past 60 years, Memphis has also seen massive geographic expansion, roughly doubling in size since 1960 but without experiencing an equivalent growth in population, from just under 500,000 in 1960 to 633,000 in 2020, Guthrie said. That population density doesn't make public transportation impossible, but it means "you have to really want to do it."
And traditional, fixed-route bus systems just aren't ideal for low density cities, "no matter how committed a transit manager might be to serving low-income, disadvantaged populations, and even if they have a good budget," Davis said.
It's not a very cost-effective system, Davis said. It's expensive to run a single bus, let alone a whole system. And no one seems to want to fund it.
The city's Transit Vision website says the plan will cost $30 million, but is vague on specific funding options, saying "local governments… are working together to identify new sources of funds." Rosenfeld said money could come from anywhere, but that none has been identified.
"MATA does not have the ability to create its own dedicated funding source and there's nobody stepping up to hand us a check for $30 to 35 million on an annual basis," he said.
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Rosenfeld said that to move toward the 2040 vision, MATA will rely on new technologies as they emerge, including autonomous vehicles, bikeshares, scooters and tech not yet conceived. MATA also has plans for a rapid transit bus line called mConnect that will link Downtown and the University of Memphis via Union Avenue. Those buses will come every 10 minutes and be all-electric, according to the plans, and the majority of that funding is from federal grants, though the state, city and county have also allocated some money.
I didn't understand how public transportation in Memphis could escape from the cycle of low ridership and disinvestment, especially in a city primed for automobile usage and with a population already unlikely to take a bus. After riding the bus and speaking with passengers and experts, I'm not sure I understand any better.
The 12 Mallory arrived at the William Hudson Transit Center at 11:05 a.m. – one minute early. I thanked the entire bus, since nearly everyone had generously spoken with me. Andrea made a few more photos; before I got off the bus, I chatted with the driver a little more.
Then I hopped back in a car and headed south.
This story is brought to you by MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a nonprofit newsroom focused on poverty, power and policy in Memphis. Support independent journalism by making a tax-deductible donation today. MLK50 is also supported by these generous donors.
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Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Miami and Key West
Aug 29th, 2012, 09:20 AM
NKHK
We (including a 2-year-old) are taking a cruise from Miami to Bahama in September. We're planning to stay 4 days in Miami after the cruise. We're thinking to take a day trip to Key West if it's not raining. Several friends told me not to take a little toddler to Key West as there were a lot of homeless there. Is that true? Is it safe there? How the drive back to Miami at night? We are going to stay in Miami Downtown. Are there any beaches good for little kid other than the South Beach? Thank you in advance for your response!
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RoamsAround
First off, many families with 2YO's visit Key West. And, of course, there are lots of families with 2YO's who live there.
Yes, there are homeless people in Key West just as there are homeless people in any city or town throughout the world but that shouldn't stop you. What is it about a homeless person that has you so worried? Chances are you won't encounter one and if you did, how would you know the person is homeless? Are you also worried about encountering homeless people while you are staying in downtown Miami (there are homeless people in that city, too)? Honestly, I think you are over reacting on that particular front.
We've visited Key west numerous times and always felt safe. Use the same common sense you do when you are out and about in your home town and you should be just fine.
Now, it's about 120 miles from Miami to Key West. The road is a single lane elevated "bridge" that links the various Keys. Think of it as a series of long bridges in between lots of small islets. The ride could take 2.5 to 3 hours each way, depending on traffic. Some people may find the "overwater" route a little intimidating at night.
Quite honestly, a day trip to Key West from Miami makes for a very long day, especially if you are doing it with a 2YO. Figure on a total of 5.5 to 6 hours of drive time (more if you are going on a weekend or holiday period) so you'll have to evaluate just how good a travelers your child is. In order to make it worth while you'd have to leave fairly early in the day and if you stay for more than a few hours you'll be getting back to Miami around dinner time or even later. So, ask yourself, is 6 hours of so of driving worth a 3 hour visit. You might be better off spending the night, that way you can have more time to really enjoy what Key West has to offer.
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gmoney
I don't think it's the homeless in Key West that you have to worry about. Key West is not my idea of a kid friendly destination.
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Aug 29th, 2012, 12:15 PM
bouldercolo
Key West is all about drinking and partying. Not much to see or do with a two year old. Also too far for a day trip - you could easily spend six hours making the round trip drive.
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garyt22
There's a butterfly sanctuary, a conch train tour, catamaran rides and lots of fun shops ... it's a great town for a stroller ride... people from boulder usually only drink and party and miss the family stuff...
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longhorn55
I agree that it's a long day trip from Miami to Key West, but I think it's a perfectly fine destination to go with a toddler. In fact, I'd rather take a toddler than a 10-year-old because a toddler can't read what's on all the suggestive T-shirts in the shops along Duval Street!
If I were taking my toddler to Key West, I'd stroll along the streets parallel to Duval Street that have such interesting houses and architecture. I'd go to the Hemingway House where the toddler could enjoy the gardens and the polydactyl cats. I'd go to the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor. I'd go to Mallory Square to see the neat statues. I'd go to the Key West Toy Factory. There's more to see in Key West, even with a toddler, than you can see in a day trip.
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garyt22 - you got that right. I don't go to Key West to see butterflies. LOL. Still too far for a daytrip.
SusanCS
As much as I love Key West, I can't imagine taking a day trip from Miami there. You're looking at 8 hours in the car for probably 4 hours in Key West. Frankly, if I were you, I'd be inclined to split my time between Miami and Key West...maybe two days each place.
There are tons of things to do in Key West with children and toddlers.
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Hugh_Peche
It's a very long tiring ride to round-trip to Key West in a day, as others have suggested. You're talking 300 miles of driving in one day with a child, and the return is in the dark on a two lane road - you'll be tired and have a child with you - not a good idea. Homeless - chances are you won't see them or even know you are seeing them. Safety? It's a very safe place. I like the suggestion above of taking a child up Simonton or Whitehead rather than pushing a stroller thru drinking and smoking tourists near Mallory Square who are there to have a good time and are not necessarily be looking out for strollers. The island has a butterfly museum, a great aquarium, three beaches, and other child-friendly venues and restaurants, but I wonder about the long long drive for a child who will never remember the event. And quite frankly, I suspect you'll think "What a cool awesome place! But next time we get a babysitter!"
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2 days between Key West and Miami
tamiipr
Jun 14th, 2007 07:07 PM
Miami to Key West by car.
jacketwatch
Aug 15th, 2004 04:19 PM
drive to/from Key West
Miami to Key West travel time
Dec 28th, 2002 01:42 PM
Miami or Key West?
Natchitoches over Thanksgiving without reservations?


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Is there a rosy side to some WWII POW history?
When we think of prisoners of war during WWII, we naturally think of death camps, starvation, abuse, and a long season of suffering. We don't usually think about prisoners of war held here in the United States — of Germans and Japanese soldiers sitting out the war on American soil.
We might think of internment camps, of the tragic affair of American-born families of Japanese heritage who were taken from their homes, families, and businesses and housed behind fences, feared as "threats". Americans of German descent were scorned and ridiculed, and some of them were arrested and confined as well.
Yet, we rarely consider the many thousands of prisoners shipped here from overseas to be incarcerated in camps and the tens of thousands of those men who were sent to work in American fields and factories. Yet they were.
Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay
When I wrote my novel Season of My Enemy which releases on June 1st, I was inspired by many accounts of the lives of those prisoners and of the Americans who were affected by their presence here. Here are just a few of the true stories/incidents that gave me inspiration for my novel:
Clem Batz of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin watched the prisoners work. He said, "I was about 11 years old at the time, so it would have been 1945. There was a crew of German prisoners for the farm, and the fellows picked the corn by hand. It was all picked by hand 'til the 50s, so they'd pick the corn and throw it in the wagon. At noon, they'd bring lunch for them (from the branch camp) and they'd always bring a guard. That was kind of funny because they never had a guard while working. My dad spoke German fluently, and he'd have them quit a little early to relax and visit a little bit."
Ruth Barrette was a teenager during the summer of '45 she spent picking cherries with German prisoners — boys about her own age — in her family's orchard. She called that season a turning point in her life. As pails filled with ripe fruit, the boys shared with her the longing they had of returning home to families torn apart by a war they never asked for. Residents of rural farm communities like the one where Miss Barrette lived soon came to learn the German prisoners who were allowed to work were not Nazis at all, but young men and boys drafted into Hitler's reign of terror. Here in Wisconsin, where about a third of the population is of German descent, many of those prisoners might have been distant relatives, a fact that was not lost on Wisconsinites.
Unlike what Japanese-Americans endured in the western coastal states, the German prisoners in the upper Midwest were treated with a certain degree of hospitality. David Rumachik, a preteen at the time, remembered his father hiring German men and boys as young as thirteen to pick their family's 60 acres of tomatoes. He said, "My mother talked to them and set out bowls of fruit for them. They were people, just like us, so it was hard for me to look at them and think that they were the enemy."
In my coming novel, Fanny O'Brien's mother sets out lunch for the prisoners and sometimes gives them slices of baked bread after working the pea harvest. That bit of inspiration came from situations like that of Marge Lind who recalls her father hiring workers to help with the pea harvest on the Linds' farm. Due to a lack of the usual migrant workers during the war, the soldiers who were housed in a large cattle barn near the Baptist Church were trucked in to work the fields. The POWs cut and loaded pea vines onto a truck sent to the viners. Then the peas would be gleaned off and shipped on to a local cannery. Lind said that at noon the men gathered at the family's dooryard where lunch was served. "They were just teenage boys, nice kids that my mother baked bread for," she said in later life. "For years my folks got letters from some of the boys after they returned home. There was that kind of a connection."
Another woman whose mother grew up during that time states, "My mother lived at Mike Miller's orchard/picking camp as a girl. Her dad managed it. She has always told us stories of talking with these men behind the fence. They would show her pictures of their own children and get teary-eyed. If grandma baked cookies the girls would sneak them through the fence. When the men were gone working in the orchard, grandpa would take the girls in the mess hall to sweep and clean."
Military chaplains or local ministers held services for German prisoners, and it was not uncommon for nearby congregations to allow military guards to truck PWs to services. Be that as it may, the army kept most prisoner locations on the low-down, as not not everyone was keen on having the prisoners in their areas or working alongside American men and women in their communities. Many American soldiers who fought in horrible conditions overseas or were captured themselves, gave a good deal of kickback in their opinions about the supposed "cushy life" of the German prisoners. After the war, many records from the camps were destroyed.
In an effort to protect photograph copyrights, I don't include a lot of pictures in this post, but here's a link to 22 historic photos of German soldiers who worked in Wisconsin's fields and factories during WWII and formed relationships with citizens, including a photograph of Kurt Pechmann whose story I share below.
22 HISTORIC PHOTOS
Not to give an incomplete picture, yes, there were Nazis taken as prisoners. Camp McCoy in west-central Wisconsin housed 5000 German prisoners, and some of them were known Nazi sympathizers. The camp also housed 3,500 Japanese and 500 Koreans and a number of Italians also. McCoy even held America's first World war II POW, Kazuo Sakamaki — America's first World War II POW — captured during Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Sakamaki was a Japanese naval officer whose midget submarine ran aground. Out of the ten men operating five such two-man subs, only Sakamaki survived. After unsuccessfully attempting to scuttle his sub, he collapsed unconscious on a beach where he was found by American soldier David Akui and taken into custody.
Sakamaki in U.S. custody
Outside of Camp McCoy, however, approximately 13,000 more German soldiers were placed at some thirty-eight make-shift camps all over the state — and this is just speaking of Wisconsin. 511 such camps existed in states all across the Union, camps dedicated to housing prisoners who worked in the agriculture industry. Here, they set to work harvesting all manner of crops including sugar beets — a critical commodity used for making the industrial alcohol needed to manufacture munitions and synthetic rubber.
Probably one of the most well-known accounts of a German prisoner, one that had a strong influence on my novel Season of My Enemy, is the story of Kurt Pechmann, a German granite cutter who had been drafted into the army and assigned the inglorious task of digging ditches. When his infantry division was moved to Russia, he said that lice helped keep them awake and alive as temperatures fell as low as eighty below zero. After surviving frostbite and being transferred to Italy, he stole olives to survive, but he was eventually captured by British forces. Because he'd always been told and believed that Americans, British, and Russians were bad, he was convinced he must be a Nazi. However, after arriving in the U.S. and enjoying his first meal of smoked bacon and "bread that tasted like cake", he began noticing the differences in life from what he'd always been told.
Sent to work in a Wisconsin canning factory along with his fellow prisoners, he enjoyed coffee and chocolate donuts topped with sprinkles as a snack handed out to those working the midnight shift. Working on a farm, he and his fellows were complimented for their work ethic, given a feast from the farmer, and in another town a truck even brought them a keg of beer once a week.
Kurt Pechmann in Camp Hartford in 1945
Many prisoners shared a camaraderie with the guards, were allowed to form soccer teams, and even enjoyed films which at first consisted of propaganda but later included popular entertainment. Some even took college courses and acquired degrees.
After the war, all prisoners were repatriated back to Germany, but as many as 5000 Germans who'd previously been prisoners like Pechmann emigrated back to America through proper channels, and their descendants live here today.
After Pechmann was repatriated, he married and came back to America with his new wife Emilie. Here, he established himself as a businessman in stone masonry and memorials. Along with creating tombstones, he also went on to build and repair monuments to American veterans. He was later recognized in a letter from President Ronald Reagan and given an honorary Purple Heart.
WHAT ABOUT SABOTAGE AND TROUBLE-MAKERS?
In my research, I discovered that only compliant prisoners were allowed to work outside of the main or branch camps. Within the branch camps themselves, comrades disciplined trouble-makers. As in my novel, some prisoners might stage work stoppages for some reason, but only a very few made attempts at sabotage or escape. Usually, if there was an escape, it turned out to be one or two men who walked off the compound in search of a beer or some women.
The more sensible prisoners preferred being well-fed, well-treated, and not being shot at. Some guard did uncover weapons such as wire cutters, hand saws, hammers, knives, or sharpened screwdrivers. If an undetected SS officer joined other PWs, he usually tried to stir up trouble and resistance. (Another inspiration for my story.) Trouble-makers were usually quickly spotted and rooted out.
MY NOVEL IS ROMANTIC, BUT DID AMERICAN WOMEN REALLY FALL FOR PRISONERS?
Well, you tell me. I'll point out that it was illegal for a POW to marry in the U.S.; however, after the war Washington enabled the fiancés of former POWs to set sail for Italy on surplus troop transports with a chaperone such as an aunt or mother. Each war bride carried two trunks of personal luggage along with the documents required for a legal marriage in Italy. By marrying in Italy, the women could then legally bring their new husbands back to America to live. Do you think that answers the question?
So is there a small, rosy side to WWI history? While I don't under-emphasize the horrors and atrocities of that or any war (including in my novel), to see that in at least one small aspect there was a time and place where people remembered that their enemies were human beings with hearts as aching and wanting as their own, well . . . that is a good thing.
With that, I'll conclude. Here are a few other resources I used while writing my novel, which may interest you also:
"Stalag Wisconsin: Inside WWII Prisoner-of-War Camps" by author Betty Cowley features more than 350 interviews, and serves as a comprehensive history of Wisconsin camps. This book was a real treasure as I wrote Fannie's story.
An article that encapsulates much of the German POW experience:
Washington Post: Enemies Among Us: German POWs in America
For my fellow Wisconsinites, here is a list of all the WWII branch camps in Wisconsin and their locations.
Season of My Enemy
The realities of WWII come to a Wisconsin farm bringing hope and danger.
Only last year Fannie O'Brien's future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. Since her father's sudden death however, with one older brother captured and the other missing, Fannie has had to handle the work of three men on their 200-acre farm, with only her mother and two younger siblings to help. That is until eight German prisoners arrive as laborers and, as Fannie feared, trouble comes with them.
Crops take precedence, even as accidents and mishaps happen around the farm. Are they leading to something more sinister? Suspicion grows that a saboteur may be among them. Fannie is especially leery of the handsome German captain who seems intent on cracking her defenses. Can she manage the farm and hold her family together through these turbulent times, all while keeping the prisoners—and her heart—in line?
Keep updated on Season of My Enemy and my other books, and get in on some monthly drawings by signing up for my newsletter right here.
Posted by Naomi Musch at 2:00 AM
Labels: German prisoners of war during WWII, Naomi Musch, Season of My Enemy, Wisconsin during WWII, WWII, WWII home front, WWII prisoners of war
Thanks for posting this thoughtful, insightful article. I really liked hearing about the kindnesses extended to the prisoners. I'm sure there are stories of our soldiers finding mercy in their circumstances as POWs overseas, it would be nice to highlight some of those as well. Maybe another participant in the blog will do that, I do remember some having posted stories like that already.
Naomi Musch May 2, 2022 at 8:11 AM
I love learning about these little-known facets of history. In my novel there is mention of a kindness by a German guard in an overseas POW camp. That, to me, has been one of the interesting tidbits of history, amidst all the horror and tragedy and evils that lurk in the hearts of many.
Jubileewriter May 1, 2022 at 8:21 AM
This was so interesting. Helping in agriculture seems a safe occupation that kept them away from any activity that might give the enemy military intel. I had no idea there were so many camps in the Midwest. Apparently the farming community my dad grew up in Southern Illinois had none. My husband worked with a woman's whose husband was in a a German POW camp and he was angry that his wife lent his golf clubs to a German officer in a POW camp near their home. Thanks for sharing.
We had a prison camp in my home town, and I never heard of it growing up. Didn't learn about it until researching my novel. I was shocked. Neither of my parents knew about it either, yet those prisoners were sent out to work on the cranberry bogs with the locals and in the canneries. VERY interesting about the woman your husband worked with. Yes, there was a lot of anger at people who reached out in any small way.


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Home > Meet Our Team > Al Zdenek
Al Zdenek,
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Al joined Mercer Advisors as part of the Traust Sollus Wealth Management acquisition. During his career he has empowered thousands of people to transform their lives by educating them to make better financial decisions that have allowed them to achieve or retain economic freedom, living the life they want now and for the rest of their lives. He is a CPA and Personal Financial Specialist (PFS). Previously, he was the founder, president & CEO of Traust Sollus which he started over thirty years ago. He initially started the company as a CPA firm which focused on sophisticated tax planning and solutions but transitioned it to a boutique wealth management firm which featured comprehensive personal financial planning and finding additional cash flow for clients when he saw that clients were not making the best financial decisions.
His mission is to empower people to make the best financial choices, avoid disastrous ones and achieve economic freedom, living the life they wish along the way. To achieve this, they should always make the best cash flow decisions. To show them how, he wrote a bestselling book, Master Your Cash Flow™: The Key To Grow And Retain Wealth (ForbesBooks 2017). He has an upcoming book, Master Your Business Cash Flow™: Grow the Company You Love, Live The Life You Want (ForbesBooks 2018).
Al has been selected to appear in lists of the nation's top financial advisors and is often quoted in the media about wealth building and wealth management topics. In 2019, Al made Forbes' Best-in-State Wealth Advisor ranking as the 17th best in New York*. He is often asked to present on wealth management and is a prominent speaker at conferences around the country. He is a graduate from Rutgers College and from Rutgers Graduate School of Business and serves as a Trustee with the New England Historic Genealogical Society. He lives in NYC and Paris, loves speaking, writing, cooking, wine, and travel. He makes it a point to travel to at least one new travel destination a year.
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We are an initiative of Phd students of the University of Tübingen. We have different backgrounds but are all interested in the different aspects of sustainability. Our first project was a sustainability symposium in December 2017, where we developped new ideas and planned the next steps for our initiative. You can find more about our symposium here.
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Biden, Sanders, and Warren top post-debate survey of N.H. Democrats
By James Pindell Globe Staff,Updated August 6, 2019, 11:39 p.m.
Joe Biden.John Locher/Associated Press/Associated Press
The first poll of likely New Hampshire Democrats since last week's debates shows that penetrating the top tier of three candidates might be tougher than ever in the state's first-in-the-nation primary.
With six months until the anticipated February 2020 contest, a Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll released Tuesday found former vice president Joe Biden the leader among likely Democratic primary voters with 21 percent. In second, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont had 17 percent, and, in third, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts had 14 percent.
"This is shaping up to be a race between three candidates who all cannot figure out how to get past each other, and then everyone else who [is] really vying for fourth place or just survival," said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, who conducted the survey.
In fourth place is Senator Kamala Harris of California at 8 percent, followed by South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 6 percent and Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii at 3 percent.
Among the reasons why Biden, Sanders, and Warren will be difficult to topple from the top tier: a significant portion of their supporters say they have made up their minds about the race.
This is especially the case with Sanders. Nearly half — 48 percent — of his supporters said they would definitely vote for him, including Douglas
Deaett, a 70-year-old retired emergency room doctor from Hanover.
"Bernie has been dedicated to his polices for a long time," said Deaett. "Most of the other contenders are riding his coattails and wouldn't work as hard to bring his ideas to fruition."
Bernie Sanders.Scott Olson/Getty Images/Getty Images
Some 45 percent of Biden's supporters say they have found their candidate, while 35 percent of Warren's supporters consider themselves committed, according to the poll.
There are signs in the poll, however, that Warren might have the most room to grow in the next six months. She was by far the most popular second choice of respondents, with 21 percent saying they would back her after their first choice.
"This is an especially important number now that a number of candidates could drop out soon, and shows how she could grow," Paleologos said.
Elizabeth Warren.John Locher/Associated Press/Associated Press
Another key number for Warren: 60 percent of voters say they are open to changing their mind and might look to their second choice.
Just over one-fifth of likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters said they weren't leaning toward any of the 25 candidates in the survey. Seven of the candidates, including Massachusetts Representative Seth Moulton, of Salem, didn't have a single respondent say they were backing them.
The survey of 500 New Hampshire voters who said they were either "somewhat likely" or "very likely" to vote in the state's Democratic primary next year was taken Thursday though Sunday. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
One candidate who may be starting to grab the attention of New Hampshire Democrats is Gabbard, who had just 1 percent in the last Suffolk/Globe poll of New Hampshire, taken in April. In the latest survey, the representative from Hawaii moved into sixth place — ahead of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, who had just 1 percent support — although the difference is still well within the poll's margin of error.
But the poll might disappoint the campaigns of Beto O'Rourke, a former representative, and Julian Castro, a former US housing secretary, who both had levels of support that rounded down to zero percent.
"As far as Beto is concerned this result isn't surprising given how poorly his year has gone, but considering how he came into the race with such momentum it is still a little stunning to see," Paleologos said. O'Rourke has been in headlines in recent days because of the mass shooting in his hometown of El Paso, though, given the timing, that likely would not have registered in the poll.
And despite an aggressive television and social media ad campaign, California billionaire Tom Steyer was at 1 percent when his support was rounded up.
Another point that stood out in the poll? New Hampshire voters said they are ready for the historically large field to shrink. Nearly two out of three voters said they felt if a candidate didn't qualify for the third round of debates they should drop out.
Due to thresholds set by the Democratic National Committee, it's possible that half the field will not qualify for the September debates. To secure a spot on the stage, a candidate must have at least 130,000 individual donors and reach 2 percent in four sanctioned polls (The Suffolk/Globe New Hampshire poll is not one of them).
On the issues, 85 percent of New Hampshire Democratic primary voters said they want their party's nominee to back Medicare for All. A majority also want the nominee to back the Green New Deal and impeach President Trump.
A majority of respondents also confirmed their top priority is a candidate who can beat Trump — even if it means that person doesn't share their values.
Jennifer Pitts, 54, an executive recruiter for a business consulting firm, is among the 58 percent polled who said the most important thing for Democrats is to nominate a candidate who can stop Trump.
At this moment, she is backing Biden.
"I want to beat Trump, and it pains me to say that I fear only a well-known white guy like Biden can do it," Pitts said. "But, like New Hampshire voters do, I will be watching to see what happens as the campaign plays out."
James Pindell can be reached at james.pindell@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @jamespindell or subscribe to his Ground Game newsletter on politics: http://pages.email.bostonglobe.com/GroundGameSignUp