Podcast appearances and mentions of James J Hill

GET PREMIUM ACCESS! https://mgshow.link/premium to hear the 2nd hour research!      In a high-energy episode, @intheMatrixxx and @shadygrooove dive into the historic May 22, 2025, MAHA round table, where President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the “Make Our Children Healthy Again” report, exposing the chronic disease crisis fueled by ultraprocessed foods, chemical toxins like glyphosate, and overmedication of kids. RFK Jr. praised Trump's vision for standing up to Big Pharma and Big Food, aligning with the America-First fight for health freedom, despite establishment pushback claiming the report ignores poverty's role. The show then moves to PREMIUM CONTENT and draws a powerful parallel to history, exploring how railroads built America's empire in the 19th century—connecting regions, empowering farmers, and fueling growth through self-reliance, much like Trump's economic wins, from $3 trillion in Middle East investments to tariff truces with China and the UK. Just as James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway thrived without government handouts, Trump's policies rebuild America's strength on its own terms. With the constitution as your weapon, join the fight to put America first. The truth is learned, never told—tune in at noon-0-five Eastern LIVE to stand with Trump! Keywords Trump, MAHA round table, Trump RFK Jr., railroads empire, America First, Jessica Watkins interview, Enrique Tarrio, Middle East tour, law and order, MG Show, @intheMatrixxx, @shadygrooove, fake news, truth, constitution, MG Show Podcast, Jeffrey Pedersen, Shannon Townsend, Independent Journalism, Alternative Media, Political Insights, Constitutional Rights, Live Coverage, Real-Time Analysis, DJT Truth Social, Combating Censorship, Unfiltered Political Insights Filename mgshow-s7e097-maha_round_table_railroads_build_the_empire Tune in weekdays at 12pm ET / 9am PST, hosted by @InTheMatrixxx and @Shadygrooove. Catch up on-demand on https://rumble.com/mgshow or via your favorite podcast platform. Where to Watch & Listen Live on https://rumble.com/mgshow https://mgshow.link/redstate X: https://x.com/inthematrixxx Backup: https://kick.com/mgshow PODCASTS: Available on PodBean, Apple, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Search for "MG Show" to listen. Engage with Us Join the conversation on https://t.me/mgshowchannel and participate in live voice chats at https://t.me/MGShow. Social & Support Follow us on X: @intheMatrixxx and @ShadyGrooove Join our listener group on X: https://mgshow.link/xgroup Support the show: Fundraiser: https://givesendgo.com/helpmgshow Donate: https://mg.show/support Merch: https://merch.mg.show MyPillow Special: Use code MGSHOW at https://mypillow.com/mgshow for savings! Crypto donations: Bitcoin: bc1qtl2mftxzv8cxnzenmpav6t72a95yudtkq9dsuf Ethereum: 0xA11f0d2A68193cC57FAF9787F6Db1d3c98cf0b4D ADA: addr1q9z3urhje7jp2g85m3d4avfegrxapdhp726qpcf7czekeuayrlwx4lrzcfxzvupnlqqjjfl0rw08z0fmgzdk7z4zzgnqujqzsf XLM: GAWJ55N3QFYPFA2IC6HBEQ3OTGJGDG6OMY6RHP4ZIDFJLQPEUS5RAMO7 LTC: ltc1qapwe55ljayyav8hgg2f9dx2y0dxy73u0tya0pu All Links Find everything on https://linktr.ee/mgshow

Audio from Tim Walz and his out of state comedy tour. James J Hill ain't no climate change activist. Climate models fail miserably. Tirade about striking Ira Hayes from Defense Dept. website was heard in Washington DC and is quickly remedied. Mayor saves the day. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show:Sen. Justin Eichorn faces state, federal charges for allegedly soliciting minorKwik Trip employee stabbed to death in Mankato; suspect arrestedDeliberations underway for Feeding Our Future trial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Audio from Tim Walz and his out of state comedy tour. James J Hill ain't no climate change activist. Climate models fail miserably. Tirade about striking Ira Hayes from Defense Dept. website was heard in Washington DC and is quickly remedied. Mayor saves the day. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show: Sen. Justin Eichorn faces state, federal charges for allegedly soliciting minor Kwik Trip employee stabbed to death in Mankato; suspect arrested Deliberations underway for Feeding Our Future trial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What I learned from rereading James J. Hill: Empire Builder by Michael P. Malone. ----Ramp gives you everything you need to control spend, watch your costs, and optimize your financial operations —all on a single platform. Make history's greatest entrepreneurs proud by going to Ramp and learning how they can help your business control your costs and save more. ----Founders Notes gives you the ability to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. You can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. Get access to Founders Notes here. ----Join my free email newsletter to get my top 10 highlights from every book----Notes and highlights from the episode: —He had unlimited energy, was stubborn, had a temper, was supremely arrogant and he did more to transform the northern frontier of the United States than any other single individual.—One of the things he learned from history and biography: The power of one dynamic individual: Like so many other nineteenth-century youths, young Jim Hill fell under the spell of Napoleon. He came to believe in the strength of will, the power of one dynamic individual to change the world, the conquering hero. (He says that the railroad entrepreneurs conquered the distance between remote communities in the American west)—He accustomed himself to handle a large workload.—If you want to know whether you are destined to be a success or a failure in life, you can easily find out. The test is simple and it is infallible: Are you able to save money? If not, drop out. You will lose. You may think not, but you will lose as sure as you live. The seed of success is not in you. –James J. Hill—He held people's attention as he engaged them in characteristic rapid-fire, highly animated conversation, gesturing expansively and driving home his point with jabbing motions of his hands—the embodiment of high energy.—He worked incredibly hard, sometimes laboring late into the night, falling asleep at the desk, then getting up for a swim in the river and a cup of black coffee, then going back to work.—“Rebates existed in other industries. I just applied them to oil.” Rockefeller said. [Don't copy the what, copy the how]  —John D: The Founding Father of the Rockefellers by David Freeman Hawke. (Founders #254)—"The very best employee at any job at any level of responsibility is the person who generally believes that this is their last job working for someone. The next thing they'll start will be their own. — Max Levchin in The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley by Jimmy Soni. (Founders #233)—Hill drank little, worked hard, and confined his socializing to respectable settings. As always, he read incessantly. He permitted himself few distractions in his relentless drive to achieve wealth and status.—Inefficiency disturbs him greatly.—James J. Hill loved eliminating steps.—Genius has the fewest moving parts.—Hill limited the number of details. Then he makes every detail perfect.—Hill called vertical integration, rational integration.—Hill always gets out quickly in front of the emerging trend.—Hill had an entirely pragmatic business personality. When competition suited him in a market, he competed fiercely. But when competition became wasteful to him, he did not hesitate to end it, even if this meant joining with old enemies and creating a monopoly.—Hill was making profits owning steamboats. Then a competitor from Canada starts running the same route and the rates and profits dwindle. Hill discovers a neglected maritime law that prohibited foreign ships from operating in American waters. Hill then persuades the US Treasury Department to enforce the law against his competitor. The competitor has to transfer ownership to an American. After that Hill then merges with that competitor and forges another monopoly.—This railroad is my monument. — James J Hill—As man emerged into history, he became a road maker; the better the road, the more advanced his development. — James J. Hill.—By 1885 Railroads brought in twice the revenue than the federal government.Railroads were the nations largest employer.The railroaders were the largest private land holders in the country.They owned more than 10% of land in the United States.—Hill identified an opportunity hiding in plain sight: Unlike most who viewed the Saint Paul and Pacific as a near-worthless derelict, Hill viewed it as a miracle waiting to happen, a potentially wondrous enterprise simply lacking competent leadership. He studied the road constantly, reading every scrap of information he could find about it and boring anyone who would listen with endless detail as to what it could one day be.—He possessed a priceless advantage compared with most other nineteenth-century rail titans. Rather than coming from the outside world of finance, as most of them did, he arose from the inside world of freighting and transportation, and he knew this world in all its complexities. He was about to demonstrate how certain well-established, regional capitalists on the frontier could challenge and even best larger eastern interests.—Being obsessed is an edge. Hill was obsessed getting control of the bankrupt Saint Paul & Pacific rail line:  Hill, who knew the road better than anyone else, constantly argued to his friends, the potential prize defied description. He seemed completely fixated on the project. Many years later, his friend recalled that Jim had spoken of it to him “probably several hundred times” during the mid-1870s.—James J. Hill finds what he is best at in the world at, at 40 years old, in a field where he had no direct experience.—“It pays to be where the money is spent” — James J Hill—James J. Hill was very easy to interface with. He had an easy to understand organizing principle for his company. Hills credo: What we want is the best possible line, shortest distance, lowest grades, and least curvature that we can build.—He had appreciation for those who had dirt underneath their fingernails.—Many observers would later compare Hill with Villard. The comparison was inevitable. “While Hill was building carefully and checking his costs minutely Villard built in ignorance of costs.” Like other transcontinental plungers, Villard did in fact build rapidly and poorly, much of his main line would later have to be torn up and rebuilt. He had rushed to get the massive land grants. Amid mounting deficits and acrimony, Villard was then forced to resign the presidency of the NP in 1884.—Find what you are good at and pound away at it forever.—He simply could not delegate authority and live with the outcome.—Hill on how to build a railroad: Work, hard work, intelligent work, and then more work. — James J Hill.—They managed the finances of the railroad in a highly conservative and prudent manner.  Hill advocated and practiced a policy of plowing large percentages of profits directly back into the property, knowing that the best defense against invading railroads was a better-built system that could operate at lower rates.—Give me Swedes, snuff and whiskey, and I'll build a railroad through hell. — James J. Hill—From the Hour of Fate: James J. Hill had built the Great Northern with deliberate thrift and brutal efficiency. His railroad would become among the most profitable in the Northwest. He didn't need JP Morgan the way other railroad executives did. (Financial strength was kryptonite to JP Morgan)—He cared most about freight, never frills.—The life of James J. Hill certainly demonstrates the impact one willful individual can have on the course of history.—I've made my mark on the surface of the earth and they can't wipe it out. — James J Hill.----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

A special thank you goes out to Al Hirsch for providing the music for the podcast, check him out on YouTube.Find merchandise for the podcast now available at:     https://washington-history-by-jon-c.creator-spring.comIf you enjoy the podcast and would like to contribute, please visit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/EvergreenpodIf you have any questions, episode ideas you'd like to see explored, or just have a general comment, please reach out at Historyoftheevergreenstatepod@gmail.comTo keep up on news for the podcast and other related announcements, please like and follow:https://www.facebook.com/HistoryoftheevergreenstatepodcastFind the podcast over on Instagram as well: @HISTORY_EVERGREENSTATEPODCASTYou can also find the podcast over on YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/@historyoftheevergreenstatepodThank you for listening to another episode of the History of the Evergreen State Podcast!

Brian's old pal Sean McPherson stopped by for a great conversation about his upcoming event with Heiruspecs and two other great bands on August 17th on the James J Hill property in Saint Paul.  Enjoy!

WPA writer William C. Haight's oral history interview with Joseph Stangler, a 62-year-old veteran of James J. Hill's railroad building workcrews who was reinventing himself as a concrete artist. This oral history is a fascinating glimpse into the life and work of one of the wandering workmen who lived a hobo-ish lifestyle, riding the rails and working odd jobs, in the last decade or two of the 19th century. (For the transcript, see https://www.loc.gov/item/wpalh001949/ )

Located near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers, Williston was founded in 1887. Railroad magnate James J. Hill named the town for his friend, Daniel Willis James. Williston is the county seat of Williams County. At the time of Williston's founding, Dakota Territory was untamed. Far from population centers like Fargo and Bismarck, Williston quickly developed a reputation as a wild and wooly town.

Jon Reyerson is with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce and they are preparing for James J Hill Days this weekend. This year Jazz88 is part of the event, presenting a Jazzclectic Concert on Friday night with the Jack Brass Band. Jon stopped by to chat about the concert and about the larger offerings of James J. Hill Days, including llamas in costume.

Jon Reyerson is with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce and they are preparing for James J Hill Days this weekend. This year Jazz88 is part of the event, presenting a Jazzclectic Concert on Friday night with the Jack Brass Band. Jon stopped by to chat about the concert and about the larger offerings of James J. Hill Days, including llamas in costume.

This past week, the Superior Telegram released it's 18th episode of Archive Dive, which is a monthly history podcast hosted by Telegram reporter Maria Lockwood. Each month, Maria and a local historian dive into the archives of historic events, people and places in Superior and Douglas County.  For this month's episode, we explore Superior Central High School. The school, which opened in 1910, educated a roster of famous students, including football legends Ernie Nevers and Bud Grant, author Gordon MacQuarrie, photographer Esther Bubley and America's Ace of Aces Major Richard I. Bong. The building itself made history in 1928 when it became the Summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge. Despite a grassroots effort to save the historic building, it was torn down in 2004. Maria  is joined by frequent guest - Teddie Meronek - a retired librarian and local historian as they look back at the history and impact that the school, it's staff and students had on the community. Meronek co-wrote a book titled “Central A to Z - The History of a Superior School.” While not a student at Central, she was one of many supporters who tried to save the building. “I thought it was important to support it because the Wisconsin Historical Society doesn't put up a marker in front of a building unless it's important, and there was (one) in front of Central designating it as the Summer White House,” says Meronek. “There was something so iconic about it when you knew the history of it and you knew the people who had gone to school there and you're thinking, what did they have in the water there at Central where there are just all these amazing people that came out of that school?” Meronek also felt the architecture made the building stand out. “When you think about it, there is some of the best architecture in Superior on Belknap (Street). There was Central, there is the old courthouse, there's the Hammond Avenue Presbyterian Church, there is the Masonic Lodge which is now the Elks, there's that great Belknap Electric building which was built as a duplex back in the 1890s and then, you go down to Belknap and Tower (Avenue) and there is Globe News. I just thought that this is a stupendous piece of real estate here that has all these great buildings and so, to see Central go was really, really sad.” Also during this episode, Maria and Teddie discuss how Earl Barber won the competition to design the building and why well-known architect Carl Worth didn't; what name did the school start out as, the additions in the 1920s and 1930s; the contributions from Webster Chair Factory owner Andrew Webster, the significance of the James J. Hill statue out front; the story of Lulu Dickinson and a strike; Principal Clifford Wade and the tributes after his death; the Summer White House and what other future presidents visited Central High School; how was Central used after Superior High School was built; the Central and East rivalry; and much more. You can find that episode at superiortelegram.com or whatever streaming service you listen to this podcast.   In case you missed Archive Dive's 17th episode, we are re-sharing it here. In June, we featured the founders of Gordon - Antoine and Sarah Gordon. Maria was joined by Antoine and Sarah's great-great-grandson Doug MacDonald, as well as Brian Finstad — both of the Gordon-Wascott Historical Society — as MacDonald shared stories of Antoine and Sarah that were passed along in his family. Enjoy and thank you for listening!  

James J. Hill's business went beyond his empire-building railroad. In 1904, he entered into the shipping business and contracted for a ship that garnered the attention of North Dakotans. When the Dakota was launched in 1904, nearly five thousand people attended the ceremony at the shipyard in Connecticut.

Railroad executive James J. Hill is a giant of North Dakota history. Overcoming the disadvantages of an impoverished childhood, Hill took the helm of the Great Northern Railway and was responsible for the company's huge expansion across the northwest that was in large part responsible for the settlement of the state.

These episodes are my personal exploration into podcasting and the practice of medicine using my chosen specialty of urology as the pivot point.  Most of the episodes that I write and record begin with a single idea, thought, topic, or quote. This episode is no exception, and begins with a book I read recently about James J Hill, one of the most successful railroad magnates of the gilded age in the late 19th century. I recently read a book called James J. Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest by Michael P. Malone and I read it as part of a book club assignment that, along with Wikipedia and other online resources, is the inspiration nad source material for this episode.  James J Hill was an extremely wealthy man at the time of his death. At the end of his life, Hill was asked by a newspaper reporter to reveal the secret of his success.  Hill responded : "Work, hard work, intelligent work, and then more work.” James J Hill worked. And worked. And worked. He once is to have said, “Give me Swedes, snuff and whiskey, and I'll build a railroad through hell.” Work, hard work, intelligent work, and more work. Such was the life of James J Hill. What fascinates me, what I would love to pick James J Hill's brain about, is this idea of intelligent work.  What did he mean when he said that? What for James J Hill would constitute intelligent work.  What I am thinking about today in this short episode is the addition of more intelligent work along with work, hard and more work as the key to success as I move forward in my career.  What is that? What does it look like? How do I get it? 

This season we continue to travel around Minnesota but this time we're learning about all the fascinating historical sites our state has to offer and giving you a book prompt inspired by each site.   We will share six book suggestions to meet that prompt, to get you started on reading new books. You can also take that prompt and find any other book to meet the challenge!   This week we encourage you to explore the James J. Hill House. “Explore upstairs and downstairs life in Minnesota's Downton Abbey — a 36,000-square-foot mansion built for railroad titan James J. Hill.” To commemorate Hill's life, we suggest that you read a book about business. When you look for new books to read in this area, branch out beyond that word - otherwise you will be mired in older books by white male voices, and there are so many different voices and different options for you! For example: many cozy mysteries are all about women owning different kinds of businesses and their struggles with them - but they never turn up on lists of novels about business. We give you links to each of these books on our show notes page, taking you to Amazon.com. If you click on any of them, and buy anything at all - including a nice book - Amazon will send us a small percent of the profits they made on these sales. Thank you for supporting CMLE!

What I learned from reading All I Want To Know Is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There: Buffett & Munger – A Study in Simplicity and Uncommon, Common Sense by Peter Bevelin. This episode is brought to you by: Tiny: Tiny is the easiest way to sell your business. Quick and straightforward exits for Founders.----Follow one of my favorite podcasts Invest Like The Best and listen to episode Mitch Lasky—The Business of GamingFollow the podcast Gamecraft to learn more about the history of the video game industry. ----[2:01] Buffett and Munger have a remarkable ability to eliminate folly, simplify things, boil down issues to their essence, get right to the point, and focus on simple and timeless truths.[3:00] The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness by Naval Ravikant and Eric Jorgenson.  (Founders #191)[4:00] Warren Buffet or Charlie Munger are the very wise grandfather figure that I never had.[5:00] To try to live your life totally free of mistakes is a life of inaction. —Warren Buffett[5:00] The sign above the players' entrance to the field at Notre Dame reads ´Play Like a Champion Today.' I sometimes joke that the sign at Nebraska reads 'Remember Your Helmet.' Charlie and I are 'Remember Your Helmet' kind of guys.' We like to keep it simple. (You must structure your life and business to be able to survive the inevitable bad decisions you're going to make.)[5:00] Wisdom is prevention. —Charlie Munger[6:00] We make actual decisions very rapidly, but that's because we've spent so much time preparing ourselves by quietly sitting and reading and thinking. —Charlie Munger[7:00] If you get into the mental habit of relating what you're reading to the basic underlying ideas being demonstrated, you gradually accumulate some wisdom. —Charlie Munger[7:00] At Berkshire, we don't have any meetings or committees, and I can think of no better way to become more intelligent than sit down and read. I hate meetings, frankly. I have created something that I enjoy: I happen to enjoy reading a lot, and I happen to enjoy thinking about things. —Warren Buffett[7:00] We both hate to have too many forward commitments in our schedules. We both insist on a lot of time being available to just sit and think. —Charlie Munger[8:00] I need eight hours of sleep. I think better. I have more energy. My mood is better. And think about it: As a senior executive, what do you really get paid to do? You get paid to make a small number of high-quality decisions. — Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson. (Founders #155)[9:00] I think people that multitask pay a huge price. When you multitask so much, you don't have time to think about anything deeply. You're giving the world an advantage you shouldn't do. Practically everybody is drifting into that mistake. I did not succeed in life by intelligence. I succeeded because I have a long attention span. —Charlie Munger[9:00] Jony Ive on Steve Jobs: Steve was the most remarkably focused person I've ever met. (Video)[11:00] It is just that simple. We've had enough good sense when something was working well, keep doing it. The fundamental algorithm of life: repeat what works. —Charlie Munger[13:00] ALL THE BUFFETT AND MUNGER EPISODES:Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders 1965-2018 by Warren Buffett. (Founders #88) The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder. (Founders #100)The Tao of Warren Buffett by Mary Buffett & David Clark. (Founders #101) Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Roger Lowenstein. (Founders #182) A Few Lessons for Investors and Managers From Warren Buffett by Warren Buffett and Peter Bevelin. (Founders #202) The Essays of Warren Buffett by Warren Buffett and Lawrence Cunningham. (Founders #227)  Tao of Charlie Munger by David Clark (Founders #78) Charlie Munger: The Complete Investor by Tren Griffin. (Founders #79) Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger. (Founders #90) Damn Right: Behind the Scenes with Berkshire Hathaway Billionaire Charlie Munger by Janet Lowe. (Founders #221) [14:00] Buffett: It's an inversion process. Start out with failure, and then engineer its removal.[15:00] Munger: I figure out what I don't like instead of figuring out what I like in order to get what I like.[15:00] Repetition is the mother of learning.[17:00] Munger: You can see the results of not learning from others' mistakes by simply looking about you. How little originality there is in the common disasters of mankind. (Business failures through repetition of obvious mistakes made by predecessors and so on.)[18:00] Munger: History allows you to keep things in perspective.[18:00] Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.[19:00] Berkshire was a small business at one time. It just takes time. It is the nature of compound interest. You cannot build it in one day or one week.[20:00] Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, “Make me feel important.”[22:00] Buffett: In almost 60 years of investing we found it practically useless to give advice to anyone.[23:00] Munger: One of my favorite stories is about the little boy in Texas. The teacher asked the class, If there are nine sheep in the pen and one jumps out, how many are left? And everybody got the answer right except this little boy, who said, None of them are left. And the teacher said, You don't understand arithmetic. And he said No, teacher. You don't understand sheep.[25:00] Quite often Henry simply talked about his philosophy of running a corporation and the various financial strategies that he came up with as he sat in his corner office each day, often working at his Apple computer. He was a brilliant business strategist, just as he was a brilliant chess strategist and he came up with many creative ideas, ideas that were sometimes contrary to the currently accepted methods of managing a large corporation that prevailed in those days.“He always tries to work out the best moves," Shannon said, "and maybe he doesn't like to talk too much, because when you are playing a game you don't tell anyone else what your strategy is." — Distant Force: A Memoir of the Teledyne Corporation and the Man Who Created It by Dr. George Roberts. (Founders #110)[28:00] Buffett: The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything.[29:00] If you want to know whether you are destined to be a success or a failure in life, you can easily find out. The test is simple and it is infallible: Are you able to save money? If not, drop out. You will lose. You may think not, but you will lose as sure as you live. The seed of success is not in you. — James J. Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest by Michael P. Malone. (Founders #96)[31:00] Buffett: Life tends to snap you at your weakest link.[35:00] Sol Price: Retail Revolutionary & Social Innovator by Robert E. Price (Founders #107)[38:00] Paul Graham's essays (Founders #275-277)[39:00] I'm very suspect of the person who is very good at one business, who starts thinking they should tell the world how to behave on everything. —Warren Buffett[42:00] The Essays of Warren Buffett by Warren Buffett and Lawrence Cunningham. (Founders #227)[44:00] This life isn't a greenroom for something else. He went for it. —Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever.[44:00] Buffett: We're here on the earth only one time so you ought to be doing something that you enjoy as you go along and you can be enthusiastic about.[48:00] Personal History by Katherine Graham. (Founders #152)[49:00] The problem is not getting rich, it is staying sane. —Charlie Munger[54:00] Learning is not memorizing information. Learning is changing your behavior. Most people can't learn from the experiences of other people: Charlie and I don't expect to win you over to our way of thinking—we've observed enough human behavior to know the futility of that, but we do want you to be aware of our personal calculus.[57:00] We are individual opportunity driven. Our acquisition technique at Berkshire is simplicity itself: We answer the phone.[1:00:00] A brand is a promise. —Warren Buffett[1:01:00] Obsess over customers. Buffett said this about Amazon in 2012: Amazon could affect a lot of businesses who don't think they will be affected. For Amazon, it is very hard to find unhappy customers. A business that has millions and millions of happy customers can introduce them to new items, it will be a powerhouse and could affect a lot of businesses.[1:03:00] Munger: We should make a list of everything that irritates a customer, and then we should eliminate those defects one by one.[1:04:00] Most companies, when they get rich, get sloppy.[1:05:00] Munger: One of the models in my head is the 'Northern Pike Model. You have a lake full of trout. But if you throw in a few northern pike, pretty soon there aren't many trout left but a lot of northern pike. Wal-Mart in its early days was the northern pike. It figured out how the customer could be better served and just galloped through the world like Genghis Kahn.[1:09:00] Practice! Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby. (Founders #212)[1:10:00] Market forecasters will fill your ear, but they will never fill your wallet.[1:11:00] We don't have any new tricks. We just know the old tricks better.----Subscribe to listen to Founders Premium — Subscribers can ask me questions directly which I will answer in Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

What I learned from reading American Rascal: How Jay Gould Built Wall Street's Biggest Fortune by Greg Steinmetz.Subscribe to listen to Founders Premium — Subscribers can ask me questions directly which I will answer in Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes [0:01] A series of spectacular financial triumphs had made Gould fabulously rich. At age thirty-six, he was the most notorious businessman in the country.[1:00] Vanderbilt told a newspaper that Gould was "the smartest man in America." Rockefeller, when asked who he thought had the best head for business, answered "Jay Gould" without pausing to think.They  recognized Gould as a master of his craft. No one disputed that he was an extraordinary problem solver, an unparalleled negotiator, an expert communicator, a lightning-fast thinker, and a masterful tactician with a staggering memory.[2:00] Railroads changed America in the nineteenth century much as automobiles changed the country in the twentieth century and the internet has changed the twenty first century.[5:00] American Rascal shows the complex and quirky character of the nineteenth century's greatest robber baron. He was at once praised for his brilliance by Rockefeller and Vanderbilt and condemned for forever destroying American business values by Mark Twain. He lived a colorful life, trading jokes with Thomas Edison, figuring in Thomas Nast's best sketches, paying Boss Tweed's bail, and commuting to work in a 200-foot yacht.[6:00] I consider this part two in a two part series on Jay Gould. Make sure you listen to part 1: Dark Genius of Wall Street: The Misunderstood Life of Jay Gould, King of the Robber Barons by Edward J. Renehan Jr. (Founders #258)[9:00] He read whatever he could get his hands on. Jay was often nowhere to be found. He was off hiding somewhere with his books.[10:00] He would wake up at three to study by firelight.[10:00] My Life and Work by Henry Ford. (Founders #266)[12:35] “As you know. I'm not in the habit of backing out of what I undertake, and I shall write night and day until it is completed.”[13:00] Relentless and self-confident: Gould toyed with the idea of college. He visited Rutgers, Yale, Harvard, and Brown. He concluded college was an expensive indulgence. Why bother with college when he could teach himself from books?[13:00] I am determined to use all my best energies to accomplish this life's highest possibilities.[22:00] The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness by Naval Ravikant and Eric Jorgenson. (Founders #191)[22:00] All I Want To Know Is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There: Buffett & Munger – A Study in Simplicity and Uncommon, Common Sense by Peter Bevelin[26:00] Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue by Ryan Holiday. (Founders #31)[30:00] The good ones know more. — Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy (Founders #82)[37:00] The story of how Gould seized Erie shows his brilliance as a financial strategist, his deep understanding of law, a surprising grasp of human nature, and a mastery of political reality.[41:00] Tycoon's War: How Cornelius Vanderbilt Invaded a Country to Overthrow America's Most Famous Military Adventurer by Stephen Dando-Collins (Founders #55)[42:00] There isn't any secret. I avoid bad luck by being patient. Whenever I'm obliged to get into a fight, I always wait and let the other fellow get tired first.[44:00] James J. Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest by Michael P. Malone. (Founders #96)[52:00] Edison and Gould shared some traits. Both were born into poverty. Both thought about little beside their obsessions —inventions for Edison, money for Gould. Both worked all the time. Both had spent their childhoods reading anything that came their way.[53:00] Edison: A Biography by Matthew Josephson. (Founders #267)——Subscribe to listen to Founders Premium — Subscribers can ask me questions directly which I will answer in Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes I use Readwise to organize and remember everything I read. You can try Readwise for 60 days for free https://readwise.io/founders/“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Public policy analyst and land-use and transportation expert Randall O'Toole joins Kim to discuss the works of James J. Hill. Natalie Menten joins Kim to discuss the upcoming 2022 ballot. Sue Kenfield, Director of Youth Engagement for American Battle Monuments Foundation (ABMF), joins Kim to promote the ABMF's Past is a Prologue essay contest.

In 1893, when James J. Hill completed his privately funded Great Northern Railroad, his competitors—who relied on government subsidies—went bankrupt. Hill transformed northwestern America by opening it to immigration settlement, farming, and industrialization. Are you interested in learning about Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Check out our FREE ebook:

Dimitri and Khalid conclude their journey through Gustavus Myers' “History of the Great American Fortunes, Volume III”, including: JP Morgan at his zenith, the great insurance frauds, pilfering the middle class with meme stocks, Morgan buying out Carnegie, the docility of Slavs who will happily work 70 hours a week in the Pittsburgh steel mills “where they kill people”, the murderous machinations of the Ice Trust, the Panic of 1907, Heinze and Morse getting BCCI'd, conspiracy theories swirling around the Titanic disaster, Quantrell Raider Stephen B. Elkins' great New Mexico land frauds, and James J. Hill despoiling sus Minnesota. For access to full-length premium episodes and the SJ Grotto of Truth Discord, subscribe to the Al-Wara' Frequency at patreon.com/subliminaljihad.

Minneapolis theater maker Shanan Custer is excited about the soap opera “Duluth”, which premiered Sunday on the World Improv Network YouTube channel.  The show runs for 24 consecutive episodes, airing live at 2 p.m. Sundays. It’s all improvised, with only a plot arc for the cast to follow. The improv actors are working across time zones and borders, coming together from Minnesota, Mexico and the U.K. as they dive into mystery and scandal. “It’s inspired by soap operas that you may recall from the past, like ‘Dallas’ and ’Dynasty,’ ” Custer said. “And it features characters as broad and hilarious and amazing, as you saw in those kinds of shows.” The key difference:  It’s set against a backdrop of iconic Duluth images — opening credits feature the Aerial Lift Bridge. The last performance that actor Shad Olsen saw on stage before the pandemic was by Collide Dance Theater Co. in the Twin Cities. Now he can’t wait to see their new live production of “WonderLand.” “They tell stories in such an emotional, visceral, real way that you end up going on the journey. It’s really exhilarating,” said Olsen. With a mix of dance styles set to a modern blend of music, “the energy is through the roof.” The characters of Lewis Carroll’s classic novel encounter each other in a psychiatric hospital. As the doctor treats the White Rabbit’s anxiety or Alice’s body image, the show examines the concept of being “normal.” Artistic director Regina Peluso wrote the script to help de-stigmatize mental health conditions.  She had mental health professionals review the script to make sure the audience would not miss the message of acceptance. The 70-minute show takes place outside of the James J. Hill House in St. Paul this weekend, and outside the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis June 5-20. Healing is also the subject of an exhibit by physician and painter Semerit Strachan. Behavioral pediatrician Andrew Barnes of Golden Valley traveled to Granite Falls to see the show in person. He says he thought about the exhibit for days afterward. Strachan is a leader with the Cultural Wellness Center in Minneapolis. Courtesy of Granite Area Arts Council "Togetherness" by Semerit Strachan. Courtesy of Granite Area Arts Council "In the Dancing Grove" by Semerit Strachan. The 25 paintings in Strachan’s exhibit “Consciousness Beyond Form” employ symbols of healing and transformation drawn from Egyptian culture and the African diaspora. Often, Barnes says, faces and forms appear to emerge from the paintings, the way one might see a face in the trunk of a tree while walking in the woods. Placed together in a gallery, the paintings appear to be in conversation with one another. The exhibit at the K. K. Berge Gallery runs through June 19, with an artist reception and walking tour June 5. 

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald - Episode 4 - TheEnd Of All Kinds Of Dreams!   Hi, I’m Christy Shriver, and we’re here to discuss books that have changed the world and have changed us.    I’m Garry Shriver, and this is the How to Love Lit Podcast.  This is our fourth and final episode on this little book of constant surprises.  We have talked about turns of phrases, irony, the colors, more irony, motifs of the eyes, water and baptism, dust, cars, references to time- and did I mention irony-     Are you trying to say that Fitzgerald sees a lot of irony in the world?  That things just aren’t what they are pretend or appear to be?    I think I want to point out he uses a lot of irony- it just goes on and on.  Last week, we also talked about how tightly constructed and deliberate everything is- someone even used the word- geometric- everything fits together.  I also can see why you call it poetry- the phrases are often strange, but enjoyable to read.  And you’ll love this, Christy, I’m not sure how it all went down- but a lot of Fitzgerald’s metaphors were lifted right out of Zelda’s letters.  She was the metaphor master-maker of the family it seems!!!    I know- I’ve read that stuff too, although It seems she wasn’t salty about him using her lines- she thought of it as collaboration more than plagiarism- who knows- at this point, I don’t guess it matters.  But the metaphors- and there is an endless number of them- really are delightful- and make me smile- they really do – like what we’re going to read today when he says, “Then he kissed her. At his lips’touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.  What does that even mean? So strange-  you have to really visualize something impossible to even begin to get the idea, but even then you’re  a little confused- this godlike event of creating Gatsby- became vulnerable man when Gatsby fell for Daisy- or maybe when Fitzgerald fell for Zelda- however far you want to take the metaphor but why do people like hearing it like that?      Actually-There is neuroscience about that, and next week when we talk about T.S. Eliot we should talk a little about the neuroscience about why some words are just fun to listen to- that’s worth geeking out a little bit on- and Eliot is kind of like that too.    He is, and I’ll look forward to hearing about that- I have to admit, I know next to nothing about neuroscience.  This week, though, we are going to have to wrecklessly fly with Daisy and watch her turn Gatsby’s cream colored circus wagon’s into a death car.  There is still so much to say, and I know we don’t have time to talk about everything- we’ve skipped so much already- but you will be happy to know- Garry that we will end where we began with a bit of history and yet another reference to the American Dream- but this time- I’ll not complain about it for one thing it is not the dream according to Thomas Jefferson, but according to Benjamin Franklin.    Well, that explains your change of attitude- you have a crush on him!    I do- he’s my favorite founding father, and one of these days, we’ll do a series on his autobiography- but until then we will just reference him- like we will here.  Last episode we delved into the life and times of the young Daisy Fay who I affectionately called the Ice Queen- and then her relationship to Gatsby- I made the case that there is one sense in that Daisy and Gatsby are almost dopplegangers- one is the male- the other female of kind of the same person-.  We talked about their connection in Louisville- their dreams but how the different circumstances of their lives, as well as they choices they made develop separately over the last five years and take them to very different places-     even if they physically are just across the bay from each other.     Even so,  today, I want to start with a focus on Gatsby’s origin story- but before we do, let’s remember that this is a book about two men- we started episode 1 with that idea and I want to come back to it- even though it’s called The Great Gatsby- it’s not just Gatsby- some argue- not even mostly -and while we compared Gatsby to Daisy last week- we can also compare Gatsby to Nick- both are searchers-- both are from the Middle West.  One achieves awareness- the other…well….does not.  This is a story about Nick- he’s the character we are supposed to see ourselves in.  However, Nick’s role in the story is kind of interesting in that he really has two personas =- Persona 1 or Nick 1 tells the story- as a detached historian talking to us about events that happened to him in the summer two years ago- he recalls his New York summer from a place of understanding- it’s reflective- and all from the safety of the Middle West- but then there’s Nick 2 -the participant in the story- he’s a star struck 29 year old who’s bored with life back home, who’s enchanted with the East- with the possibilities that New York offers- he wants a part of the fast life- he’s ready for the the modern world- and the non-olfactory money they hand out in Manhattan- he just doesn’t know it will soon be what he calls an El Greco painting life.    You know- both of those references at the end are very strange.  I remember the first time I really thought anything about El Greco’s art, although I’m pretty sure I’d heard of it before, was when I was taking a group of students through Toledo Spain and our tour guide showed us some of his work.  It is really freaky stuff.  It’s dark and disturbing.     Exactly- I think that’s how Nick feels about everything we’re getting ready to talk about today.  The same goes for the Non-olfactory money- another great metaphor-     non-smelling money- does money smell?    Interestingly enough, I think Nick found out that it indeed does smell, and This is his story of his freaky experience in New York city with the smelly money.  The way this summer concludes will lead him to the believe he’s the only honest person he knows and there is something worth valuing in a world where there are returning trains, holly wreaths on doors and family members in the area.  Nick decides he finds a world like that is just more honest- when he says he is the only honest person he knows that’s the sense where- that is actually true- today we might say- it’s just more real.   It’s certainly not true that Nick claims lives a life without ever lying- he’s always talking about two-timing these girls in the most non-chalant way.      The Nick that goes East doesn’t see the value in the social contract you’re always talking about Garry.  He wants to jump into a world where you are ABOVE the rules – you get to live outside of a social contract that involves submission to community standards- if you’re rich you don’t have to wait your turn or play by commonly agreed upon rules- and that’s the thrill- you get to waive a white card at the cop!!! However, What Nick finds in his experiences in the East changes his perspective on himself- and on the world he wants to inhabit-    And that is a very common experience for many young adults- you don’t have to be Nick from the Middle West.  If you’re young- there is something seductive about leaving the interior and going to the coast- East or West- I guess- depending on where you live-  thousands of students  dream of the NBA, Hollywood, the rap music scene, a  youtube contract, a million Tik Tok followers as a beauty influence-  just to mention a few- but in all of these cases the job may be fun- the appeal isn’t in the sport- there is this vision of limitless money, the buying of privilege…never being told no…- absolute freedom from any control.      Many of us have waited for a train, a bus or plane and have watched the first class get on first first, or stood in line to get into a concert while the important people walked through the VIP entrance and into in a glass box, isn’t that what money buys?  Can’t money buy everything?  What’s that famous phrase- money can’t buy happiness but it can buy the boat…    Quote the phrase    And that is a big difference between Nick and Gatsby- Nick’s highest motivation isn’t really money or love- and maybe that’s what saves him from some of the toxicity that affects Gatsby.  When Nick returns home at the end of the book- he is not recreating a past childhood that he loved so much because he’s homesick- he is also not returning because he failed at life or can’t hack it- he’s returning because he’s a different person- he’s grown up- at the end of the book during the climactic scene where Daisy tells Gatsby that she loves Tom- and Tom exposes Gatsby’s mob connections- Nick makes a very strange comment- he says he just remembered that it’s his birthday- he was turning 30.      Are we saying that is the age we grow up- written by a man who wasn’t 30 when he wrote it- although he almost was- is growing up what happens when we turn 30?     I think it’s something like that- the book actually came out the year Fitzgerald turned 30.  Some people may find Fitzgerald’s making a statement about not being naïve anymore more irony for you.    But he sees the East with all its glamorous trappings shallow maybe- or at least artificial; Nick realizes that the person he admires more than anyone else he met- including his cousin- was indisputably- a fraud, a hoodlum, a murderer, basically a thug whose values are openly morally bankrupt.  At one point when Nick looks at Gatsby, he absolutely could believe he had killed people and says so.  But even that person- is still the best one of the lot of them.      Well, it turns out that Gatsby isn’t the only murderer either.    No- he isn’t.  At the wise old age of 32, after two years of reflecting on the strange neighbor who lived in a re-created French hotel, Nick has made some real judgements- and this book is a declaration of those judgement- although it’ definitely not didactic or moralistic-  Jay Gatsby was all those bad things I just said, no question- and Nick definitely disdains him for those things- HOWEVER- Nick’s had time to think about the world that created that person- and the kind of person that world rewards.  Who wins? Who’s destroyed?  And what destroyed them?  This book has three victims:- Gatsby, Myrtle and Wilson.  Only one of them was great.      There’s one way to look at the book and say those three were not a part of the system or privileged class- that’s what killed them? It was the establishment.  The system was always rigged; Tom was never going to sell his car, never marry Myrtle nor was Gatsby ever going to get a “good girl”.  They were never going to win.      You could see it that way.  Lots of people have, and that’s an easy answer, but it is unusual that great literature gives out simplistic answers.  The obvious problem with that answer is the number of counter-examples of real life rags to riches stories- and Nick’s family kind of challenges it since they built wealth the old-fashioned way of business building.    Fitzgerald’s more nuanced argument is going to claim that the dream of success, wealth, love and happiness is not as easy as just accumulating cash- although, I’d like to test that theory personally.    One thing to notice in Nick, especially in the final scenes of this story is a recognition to some degree that success- if it’s going to be worth having- must have a moral and or Civic component, if not both, and when you take that out what’s left is a fraudulent shallow value system that replaces Benjamin Franklin’s American Dream of success as defined by hard work and civic responsibility with something toxic, and devoid of loyalty - harmful not just to others but even yourself.  James Gatz traded in finishing his degree at the Lutheran University of St. Olaf while working as a janitor for something easier and likely way more fun –a path to success that doesn’t penalize the corrupt- a non-olfactory path    ...Daisy really kind of did the same thing when she married Tom- but- how does that happen?    Well, in the case of James Gatz of rural North Dakota- the success happens by sheer force of will.  What we know about Gatsby is interesting- and comes in parts- in chapter 6- future Nick the historian breaks the chronology of the summer to give us Gatsby’s personal history. We get the rest of what we know about him in chapter 9 when we meet his dad.      I’d like to put the whole story together because Christy, I think you will be interested in this historical angle.    Please do!    At the end of the book, when Mr. Gatz talks about James’ growing up years he references a book he found called Hop-along Cassidy and inside the cover James had handwritten a schedule for himself.  Now, what’s so historically interesting about this schedule is that it’s recognizable- American history teachers will tell you- what he writes is a list that is recognizably modeled after Benjamin Franklin guide to moral perfection as recorded in his autobiography.  Benjamin Franklin- btw-is one of America’s original American Dream stories- although there are thousands possibly millions that have followed in his footsteps all over this country.  Franklin was the fifteenth child in a Boston family of 17 children – no money- no East Egg- so much so that Franklin became a legally bound apprentice to his brother as a printer.  He worked his butt off to learn his trade and he was great at his job.  His brother was making lots of money off of Franklin’s work, and Franklin  believed his brother was exploiting him- so he ran away- which at that time was actually criminal- he had legally bound himself to his brother kind of like an indentured servant.  The minute Franklin ran he literally became an outlaw.  He could have been arrested by any person who wanted to collect the ransom and been sent back to Boston to work for his brother.  He fled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvaia, an up and coming town lots happen but eventually, he started a business and created a very successful periodical called Poor Richard’s Almanac and sold tens of thousands- which is impressive in a town with only 12,000 people- obviously it went viral across not just Philadelphia.  Almanacs were the second read book in the United States- after the Bible, and apparently his was really funny- all of a sudden, he was a celebrity AND he was rich- he would be rich for the rest of his life.  He printed a new one every year for 25 years- it was full of quotes that are famous to this day, things like “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”  Franklin by the end of his life had met the kings and Queens of Europe, owned property, started businesses, established public institutions like the post office and the library- he did all kinds of things- lots of them still around.  Anyway, where’s the connection with Gatsby?  Well,  Franklin had this plan for moral perfection- it’s famous- lots of people are familiar with it and try to follow it and have since he first wrote it- James Gatz’s plan for perfection is obviously a modification of Franklin’s famous list.  For example- Franklin’s original list says, “Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation” Gatz’s list says, “Bath every other day”; Franklin’s list says, “”Lose no time.  Be always employed in something useful.  Cut off all unnecessary actions” Gatz’s is “No wasting time at Shafter’s or ______a name undecipheral”.  What becomes obvious as you go down the list Franklin’s list and compare it to Gatz’s list is that Gatz deletes everything that has to do with morality or civic responsibility- an obvious omission.  What Fitzgerald is suggesting is that by the time we get to the 20th century- we still pursue dreams in America, we still wish upon stars- like Disney tells us, but there is a large number of people that have disconnected  success with our personal morality and/or community responsibility- loyalty of any kind except to oneself.  So, what does that get you?    Well, it gets you an opportunity to ride a yacht.  James Gatz sees his opportunity and crosses the water.  A man named Dan Cody floats by on a yacht on Lake Superior.  He’d been loafing on the beach all day (so much for waste no time)- but he borrows a rowboat and crosses the water.  Fitzgerald puts it like this “The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island sprang from his Platonic conception of himself.  He was a son of God- a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that- and he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty.  So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a 17 year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end.”…Listen to this language …read “But his heart- page 99- “a promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a wing’s fairy.”     Well, let’s not discount this idea of remaking your identity-  into whatever you want- that also is totally American- and so often a great thing for lot of reasons.  How many immigrants come to this country with nothing but the shirt on their backs, and one generation later own businesses, have built wealth, their children are college graduates, and they invested in their communities- it quite literally has what made this country great! There are a lot of great countries, but America is unique in that money comes easier here compared to other parts of the world- That is uncontested.  It’s not a guarantee and there certainly are barriers- but it’s been the story of many people from every corner of the globe.  I will never forget my first teaching job, a young student by the name of ____________ was the valedictorian of _____________.  He had literally come here on a boat.  Throw in a couple of details here.  But that’s not Gatsby’s story-     No, I think that’s the plot of the cartoon the American Tale about the Fievel Mousekewitz, the mouse from Russia.    Gatsby’s model is- Dan Cody- Christy, I’m doing a little name symbolism myself –     Well, aren’t you getting literary…    Well, not really- it comes from two American heroes- Daniel Boone and Buffalo Bill Cody- Daniel Boone-     Good ole Daniel Boone- the famous frontiersman- my mama graduated from Boones Creek High School- you know he “killed a bar on a tree in 1760” and carved those words in a tree near where she grew up in Washington County, Tennessee.    Well, honestly I didn’t know you had such a close brush with frontier fame- he was famous but there is also a lot of folk lore about him that who knows if is even true- he was kind of a showman as was Buffalo Bill- who traveled the world literally with his Buffalo Bill Wild West Show pretending to be a cowboy- they both were kind of mythical creations.     Well- that’s true- plus I want to add to that, the language is obviously biblical- Gatsby is on the fishing shore- like Jesus.  He founds his life on the rock- like St. Peter- but it’s all deliberately sacrilegious.  What Gatsby learns from Dan Cody is that the rules are not fair.  That the show is what is important.  The legend is more important that the substance.  They spend five years on that yacht together.  He learns about wealth.  He builds his myth.   Ella Kaye apparently murders Dan Cody, and through legalized corruption steals the $25,000 Cody had left Gatsby in his will.  Gatsby gets nothing; he’s bested by the establishment girl who knew had to manipulate the rules.  The next thing we know about Gatsby is that he’s a soldier meeting Daisy, the first nice girl he had ever known, the text says, “he took her”- there’s your polite euphemism for you- but he took her under false pretenses and afterwards she “vanished into her rich house, into her rich full life, leaving Gatsby nothing.”  After that he goes to Europe, fights in the war, studies a little at Oxford, gets a medal from the small country of Montenegro, comes back to Louisville while tom and Daisy are still on their wedding trip.  He was penniless.  and from there he starts working for the mob.  In chapter 6 there is a second party at Gatsby’s- this one Tom and Daisy both go to.  Daisy, as much as she pretends to like it finds it vulgar.  At the end of the night Nick says this, “He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: I never loved you.”  After she had obliterated three years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken.  One of them was that, after she was free, they were to go back to Louisville and be married from her house- just as if it were five years ago.  “And she doesn’t understand, “ he said despairingly.  “She used to understand.  We’d sit for hours- He broke off and began to walk up and down a desolate path of fruit finds and discarded favors and crushed flowers”.    Take a mental note that the flowers are now crushed- when he meets Daisy at Nick’s house there were lots of blooming non-broken flowers.”    “I wouldn’t ask too much of her, “I ventured. “You can’t repeat the past.”    “Can’t repeat the past?” He cried incredulously.  “Why of course you can!”  He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking …….read til the incarnation was complete.    Well, there it is..do you think that if Gatsby had not attached his vision of himself to Daisy he would have lived?    I totally do- that would have been the far more sensible thing to do, but then he wouldn’t be Gatsby- the man who won’t let the childhood dream die.  Gatsby at this point in his life had already had an opportunity to be disillusioned.  He’d gone through the rottenness of the Dan Cody death, he’d survived the rottenness of WW1- his young love crush married the rich boy- and yet he persists in this dream of whatever Daisy represents for him- for five long years he’s amassing money at any cost and building a love and a lover in his mind that is totally separate from the actual person of Daisy- This is not the common love story- the traditional route is for someone to marry for money- or marry for love and give up money- Gatsby accumulates money to purchase love- a vision of himself and who he believes Daisy represents- which we can clearly see is very unlike the actual Daisy.  But Gatsby never questions his quest- it’s fantastic and absurd and wild – I really don’t know what is fueling this passion-      That IS the greatness of Gatsby from which we get the title.      It Is.  And I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but not by much, when Daisy- the real Daisy absolutely betrays him in the worst way humanly possible- she will literally murder someone then leave him to take the blame- he still won’t let go of the dream- and he just stands under her window and then by the phone.  It’s sad and obviously pathetic- such a contrast to the moment he falls in love with daisy in a scene – listen to this….page 110- it’s beauty, it’s divinity,….    It’s impossible.    There’s a buzz-kill!     I think it’s important consider that if a real relationship were ever going to exist between Daisy and Gatsby- she was going to have to become a real person- and that is not a small thing.  Gatsby enters in to Daisy’s real house, she kisses him, tells him she loves him then the nurse brings in her daughter, Pammy, the one she has with Tom.  I found this detail interesting. Life doesn’t get more real than a child, but  Nick points out that Gatsby looks at the child with surprise never believing before that she had existed.  In other words, how is he going to obliterate the existence of Pammy who is half Tom/half Daisy.    Yes- and things are really going to go downhill from here- but before they do- we can’t skip what is probably the most famous line in all the book.  Gatsby and Nick are talking about Daisy, and Gatsby makes that famous observation, “Her voice is full of money.”      It’s a very interesting thing to say- Daisy’s charm is connected to the attraction of wealth, money and love all three of which hold similar attractions.  And this is where Daisy and Gatsby are in fact very similar- Gatsby has a large capacity it seems to love, but the pursuit of money is a substitute for that or at least meshed with that.      What do you mean by that?    Well, we can see it in how Tom and Gatsby look at money- maybe it’s the difference between the way you and I look at money and how people who just have endless loads of it look at it- when Tom buys a car or a house or a horse- he’s buying just the material possession itself- the abstract benefits of having money he already has- the power, the position, the connections and opportunity- he doesn’t know a world without those things.  But that’s not Gatsby and it’s not most of us.  When Gatsby amasses wealth, he’s not just buying a house, a car or a hydroplane- he’s buying a dream, a purpose, a ticket to inside a world he can’t access.  Gatsby, like all of us really, doesn’t know what money can and can’t buy- he doesn’t know the limits of money- he doesn’t know that there are different kinds of money- that money earned peddling liquor out of pharmacies won’t buy the same things that Tom’s money buys- like a “nice” girl like Daisy.      You know there’s that famous line that Earnest Hemmingway said that Fitzgerald said that Fitzgerald didn’t say- Hemingway claims that Fitzgerald said to him once, “You know the rich are different than you and me?’ to which Hemingway claims he said back, “They have more money.”    That conversation- although something Hemingway made up to make fun of Fitzgerald for being so ennamored with money- is still interesting.  Fitzgerald’s criticism of America does seem to rest on the irresponsibility of those people with money and the power to shape the world.  Fitzgerald sees corruption--  and its symbolized with whatever he seems to be describing when he talks about Manhattan.  In this book Manhattan is amoral- it’s non-olfactory money- money with no morality at all attached to it- not good- not bad- just money- and maybe that’s true for Manhattan- maybe it isn’t –Manhattan is just the big city in this story-  but removing from money a moral position- what does that do?  And in a world of amorality- who wins?  In this case, there is no doubt that Tom wins and Gatsby loses.  If Gatsby hadn’t gotten involved emotionally with Daisy that would not have been the case.    So, let’s get in the cars and go into amoral Manhattan with these five    I do want to point out a couple of things about cars- cars are HUGE in the 1920s- buying cars had just been made possible ten years before by Henry Ford and the assembly line.  Because of this- buying used cars had just started to become a thing- notice that Daisy had a car as a teenager- that would have been extremely uncommon- but noticing people’s car would have been more important than it even is today- it’s a sign of your status- especially if they were new.  I also want to point out that this car that is described as being Gatsby’s car absolutely does NOT exist as Fitzgerald describes it-  rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns. There is no such car that actually looks like that- we have to make it up in our heads.  But anyway, something to think about…    We hit on this a couple of episodes ago, when we mentioned that the cars symbolically represented the drivers who drove them as well as the WAY they drive represents how they are living their lives.  This scene is all about the cars, so it’s important to revisit this idea- when Tom figures out that Daisy and Gatsby are having an affair- he very hypocritically, by the way- loses his mind- “the transformation from libertine to prig was soon to be complete”- to borrow a phrase- but his reaction is to swap cars.  He’s going to let Gatsby drive his car to down- in a way- okay- you want to live my life, here’s your five minute opportunity- he stops at Wilson’s only for Wilson to tell him, basically that he’s discovered his wife is having an affair- and all the while Dr. TJ Eckelberg and Myrtle are watching the exchange.      When they get to the hotel- in the heat of the afternoon- there is a confrontation- and Gatsby finds out what money can and cannot buy.  When Daisy is confronted with the reality that Gatsby is a common gangster, it’s over.  When Tom realizes that Daisy is NOT going to leave him and that he has successfully Alpha-maled- Gatsby- so to speak he tells Daisy to get in Gatsby’s car and as a way to dominate Gatsby- has Gatsby symbolically return Daisy to Tom’s house- return the golden girl to its rightful shelf.      But of course,  we never see Daisy get behind the wheel of Gatsby’s car.  What we know is what Gatsby tells Nick, he says that “she was very nervous and she thought it would steady her to drive”    Let’s read that,    “and this woman rushed out at us just as we were passing a car coming the other way.  It all happened in a minute but it seemed to me that she wanted to speak to us, thought we were somebody she knew.  We,, first Daisy turned away from the woman toward the other car, and then she lost her nerve and turned back.  The second my hand reached the wheel I felt the shock- it must have killed her instantly.” “It ripped her open”. “Don’t tell me, old sport.”  He winced. “Anyway- Daisy stepped on it.  I tried to make her stop but she couldn’t so I pulled the emergency brake.  Then she fell over into my lap and I drove on.”  “She’ll be alright tomorrow, I’m just going to wait here and see if he tries to bother her about that unpleasantness this afternoon.”    Well, you can see that the Ice Queen is not careless, but deliberately destructive.  She absolutely hits Myrtle intentionally and doesn’t even stop to see if she is dead.  This will lead to two other deaths.  For the rest of the book, Gatsby’s car is not referred to as the cream colored car- the one that combines white  and gold- innocence and wealth, but the death car.  And another point to make – when they all get back to the house- Jordan wants to go out with Nick claiming it’s just 9:30 while Tom and Daisy plot while eating cold chicken. – they are callous and cold- plotting or indifferent.     The final time Nick sees Gatsby he has decided that Gatsby is better than everyone else in the story and he tells him so.  On the day of Gatsby’s death , Gatsy puts on his swimsuit and gets on an air mattress in the swimming pool- the final baptism.  He still believes Daisy will call.  Let’s read the passage of what happened after the chauffeur hears the shots.  “page 169-170”.    Remember, he’s using that word holocaust BEFORE the holocaust in Europe, so that word doesn’t have the emotional content it does for us.  That’s also true for the reference to the swastika-that has nothing to do with Hitler  A holocaust is a slaughter on a mass scale caused by fire.     Well, two of the people who died already lived in the valley of ashes-  but we’ve already gone down that symbolism- you can think about this stuff forever and just make your head spin.  I want to jump to the funeral and really let get to a couple of final thoughts- no one shows up at the funeral.  Meyer Wolfsheim and his crew don’t, Daisy and her crew don’t- although Nick will eventually confront Tom for basically telling Wilson Myrtle was having an affair with Gatsby and causing the murder- it’s literally months later and Tom is self-righteous about it.  Gatsby’s dad shows up; he’d found out about his son’s death from the newspaper.  When He and Nick talk  Mr. Gatz says this about his son “If he’d of lived he’d of been a great man.  A man like James J. Hill.  He’d of helped build up the country.”    And of course, Nick, uncomfortably lies in response and says, “That’s true.”      Klipspringer calls, Nick invites him to the funeral, but Klipspringer only wants a pair of shoes he’d left there- now remember, this is the guy who had moved in with Gatsby.      The only person who attends the funeral is owl-eyes and the only thing he says is, “the poor son-of-a bitch”.  Now that’s a vulgarity- obviously- but why say that?  It’s a vulgar almost religious reference to a person with no father- a corruption of the phrase “a son of god”.  What does old owl eyes- see?  He sees a man with no roots- nothing to ground him- to keep his perspective in place- and it is in the shallow soil of the rootless amoral money- that Gatsby gets lost.  He wanted a past, a different past, he wanted to rewrite the past, he wanted to inject fake roots and make his life something it wasn’t- and that was something all the money in the world could not buy for him.    And so, Fitzgerald ends his book with this meditation about America- it’s again some of those famous lines in the book that people just quote wondering what they mean.    One bit of trivia about the end paragraph is that it was actually the conclusion of chapter 1 when Nick goes back to West Egg about being with Tom and Daisy on that first night- but Fitzgerald repositions it after the story was over- it’s very poetic- Garry will you read the final page of the book.    What are we supposed to think?    Well, I guess we beat on- boats against the current- it is what builds nations- we run faster, stretch out our arms, we may run up against currents that beat us back- dreams that die- the establishment, the corruption in the system will often win- but in the way rootless Americans seek to build a past, build a future- build a dream= so we go on towards the green light- however you want to define that in your life.    Dang- I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be encouraged or depressed!!!      HA!! It’s why it’s the GREAT AMERICAN Novel- who even knows.  But it’s beautiful, we see ourselves in it and we love it.  

Minneapolis vs. St. Paul. It's a divide that has raged on for more than a century. Today, it's more a lighthearted debate, but back in the day, things got contentious on either side of the Mississippi River. So, how did this rivalry form? Host Ellery McCardle talks with two representatives from the Minnesota Historical Society. Dave Stevens works at the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, and Jessica Sutherland is with the James J. Hill House in St. Paul, to square off in a friendly debate, and give some historical insight.

Here is another amazing story you won’t discover in most history books! In the second part of our series on the transcontinental railroads, we learn an inspiring example of how an entrepreneur, working with his own hard earned money, can build a pivotal enterprise that improves the lives of Americans across the country and expands America’s influence abroad - all without a single dollar of government subsidies. Discover how James J. Hill was able to build the Great Northern Railroad from Minnesota to Seattle and expanded American industry to the Eastern World without any help from the federal government. This episode is based on Chapter 2 of Dr. Burt Folsom’s book, The Myth of the Robber Barons. If you want to learn more about his topic and follow along with Burt, you can grab a copy of the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Robber-Barons-Business-America/dp/0963020315/youngamericsfoun. Learn more about YAF at www.yaf.org

Railroad titan James J. Hill added a gallery to his sprawling 1891 house on Summit Avenue in St. Paul to showcase his expansive art collection. The room, with its high glass ceiling, still functions as a gallery to show off that collection. But starting Saturday, it will display new works. The pieces, by ten Minnesota botanical artists, will be just as classic in style, but their subject matter will be a contemporary one: climate change. “Normally we exhibit work here that focuses on our permanent collection, which consists of many images of [the Minnesota] landscape. So I thought it was an interesting contemporary bookend to our collection to focus on botanically trained artists who are taking a very scientific approach, in a very quiet in a sort of way, to our changing climate,” said Minnesota Historical Society curator Brian Szott. The pieces in “Art from the Edge of the Boreal Forest: Reflecting Biodiversity” focus on the tree species in northern Minnesota that are most vulnerable to climate change and the wildlife species that depend on them. The trees include balsam poplar, the balsam fir and the jack pine. Winters have warmed about five to six degrees in northern Minnesota since 1970, and that’s taken a toll on the boreal forest where those trees live. “A boreal forest relies heavily on a long, cold winters and short, warm summers with ample rainfall,” Szott said. “When that balance starts to change, the trees and the ecosystem start to break down.” Already, trees such as red maples that grow further south are moving into the region. “That's what's so significant about this exhibition title, because it's ‘From the Edge of the Boreal Forest,’ which is that southern part of this great biome that spans most of northern North America. But it's also the boreal forest on the edge of some significant changes,” Szott said. Artist Marj Davis and her colleagues featured in the exhibit spent 10 years on the project. In that time, she said, she’s noticed the hotter summers and more damaging storms associated with climate change. “Sometimes when we look at big problems, it's hard to figure out what you can do as an individual,” Davis said. “But this gives me personally a lot of satisfaction.” The exhibit runs through June 21 and is free with admission to the James J. Hill House.

Good morning. It's Tuesday, November 19th. I’m Kyle Sauerhoefer, and here are today's headlines from the Pioneer Press. Expect some clouds today, followed by sunshine. The high is 44 with a low of 33. Expect more clouds tonight. Our top story is: The James J. Hill Center — an iconic structure in downtown St. Paul — is up for sale 4 months after the century-old reference library and business center closed to public use. Built by Great Northern Railway magnate James J.

What I learned from reading James J. Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest by Michael P. Malone.James J. Hill demonstrates the impact one willful individual can have on the course of history [1:00]If you want to know whether you are destined to be a success or a failure in life, you can easily find out. The test is simple and it is infallible: Are you able to save money? If not, drop out. You will lose. You may think not, but you will lose as sure as you live. The seed of success is not in you. –James J. Hill [3:30]Early life and education [7:58]What James Hill learned from history: The power of one dynamic individual [9:09]Hill strikes out for adventure [10:48]Hill makes it a priority to seek out mentors to learn from [14:44]Starting his first business [18:22]Hill's strategies on building businesses & insights into his business philosophy [21:50]Hill's edge: An obsession with knowing every detail of his business [29:22]Burn the boats/ going all in/ when you have an edge, bet heavily [34:31]Stay close to where the money is being spent [36:51]Hill had an edge because he took the time to educate himself more than others would [38:49]The power of maintaining your focus [40:00]The best defense against invading railroads was a better built system that could operate at lower rates [45:05]Great idea to think of your business as a living organism [55:40]A well run business is built slowly [56:32]—“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

If you want to listen to the full episode you’ll need to upgrade to the Misfit feed. You will get access to every full episode. These episodes are available no where else.As a bonus you will also get lifetime access to my notebook that contains key insights from over 285 podcasts and lectures on entrepreneurship.The Misfit Feed has no ads, no intro music, no interviews, no fluff. Just ideas from some of the greatest entrepreneurial minds in history. Upgrade now.

Lily Shaw is a community builder. We first met Lily during our 1 Million Cups Presentation in St Paul back in May, where she previously served as the Director of External Relations at the James J. Hill Center. Lily has since transitioned to the Director of Customer Experience for Startup Space, an app-based eco-system to help start-ups access what they need at the right stage. The topic of “responsible” technology use was top of mind. How can we work to connect people in a humane way, and encourage the next generation to use digital platforms in a safe manner? We thoroughly enjoyed our chat with Lily and look forward to working with her on future projects!Learn more about Lily and her role at Startup Space.——————————————Learn how the Andelin App helps preserve, prepare and share life’s most precious memories. Available now on Google Play and the App Store for smartphones and tablets.Discover Kinetic Legacy’s proprietary platform to help businesses, brands and institutions streamline and coalesce networking data, communication and legacy building endeavors. Re-think how you engage your employees, consumers and alumni with crowd-sourced data management.Visit EarthEd to book your next wilderness adventure with Sam.Art consultant and attract painter James Holmberg offers a wealth of knowledge for art connoisseurs. Visit his work today.Packing for a trip? Let Pack Simply take the stress out of packing with our completely customizable travel toiletry kits.—————————————Want to get in touch with Sam, Jim or Sarah? Email us at: info@legacymatterspodcast.com.

Marnie Ochs-Raleigh is a sixth-generation entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Evolve Systems, an agency specializing in branding, design, digital marketing, and website development. She has been a featured speaker at the University of St. Thomas and the James J. Hill Library, as well as a guest on What's Next With Diana Pierce, the eWomen Network, and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She has been a panelist speaking on leveraging technology for Best Buy, and she has been a part of a special task force for the Girl Scouts. Marnie is the Past President of NAWBO's Minnesota chapter, and she is also a community service activist who has volunteered more than 5,500 hours within the local community. Marnie is an incredibly active woman in business and mother who finds a way to balance the many complexities in her life with love and grace. What You Will Learn: Marnie shares her family's entrepreneurial history going back six generations, and she talks about her children's entrepreneurial interests. She shares the pride she takes in coming from such a long line of entrepreneurs. Marnie shares how her daughter has always shown special compassion for animals and always expressed that she wanted to work for Cargill, Inc., and she shares how Cargill has been a major sponsor for women in business. Marnie relates how the connection created opportunities for her daughter to speak with leaders at Cargill. Marnie discusses meeting a neighborhood kid with special home life challenges and ultimately bringing him into the family as one of their own. She shares the remarkable story of navigating such a delicate situation. Marnie shares how the idea of balancing being a business leader and a mom is fiction, and she offers her feelings on the vital importance of family time, setting goals, and involving the kids in the business and its growth. Marnie shares a time when she felt truly unf♥

Elon Musk got in hot water  on Thursday when he declared that he had obtained "verbal govt approval" to build his long-anticipated Hyperloop connecting New York City to Washington D.C. In this episode, we deconstruct Elon Musk's business ventures, lament his receipt of government subsidies, and compare similar revolutions in infrastructure throughout American history. Episode 19 is brought to you by: Our Nord VPN Affiliate Link: Get a whopping 72% off a two-year subscription today! Our Liberty Classroom Affiliate Link; and The Liberty Weekly Resources Page including all of our affiliate links and coupons. Pick up some high-quality Liberty Weekly merchandise featuring our bold inverted-A logo. Check out our Zazzle Merch Store. Take 20% with code SUMMERTIME60 Ending Wednesday, July 26. Join the Liberty Weekly Elite by signing up for our email list to receive two free eBooks including: 'Just Say No' to Drug Prohibition, personalized content updates & bonus content from show host Pat MacFarlane. Don't wait! Sign up here. Show Notes: Zerohedge: Government Flabbergasted After Elon Musk's Most Bizzare Claim Yet Zerohedge: How Elon Musk Used Broken Marketplace to Play Us All Zerohedge: World's Largest Solar Plant, With Second Largest Ever Department of Energy Loan Guarantee, Files for Bankruptcy LA Times Hit Piece Article: Elon Musk's growing empire is fueled by $4.9 billion in government subsidies Elon Musk's Response: Incentives Not Necessary, but Helpful Thomas DiLorenzo: Truth About the Robber Barons James J. Hill Archive Corbett Report: How Big Oil Conquered the World Intro Audio Sample All audio Samples: Fair Use U.S.C. 17 Sec. 107

33: Dr. Chad Weinstein discusses the formation and growth of his company, Ethical Leaders in Action. They provide consulting and leadership development for businesses and public safety organizations. Prior to ELA, Chad founded the Hill Center for Ethical Business Leadership, a division of the James J. Hill Reference Library. Opening track by Josh Johnson: https://soundcloud.com/saxophone_capone/vibrations-willie-g-x-josh-the-classic-feat-kris-bergh https://ethinact.com/ http://www.chancebychance.com/

7: Lee Peter George is the Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Augsburg College. He has accumulated experience as a founding member of Genuine Hero, the director of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at the James J. Hill Center, the Executive Director of the Work Space and an Agroforestry Volunteer in the Peace Corps. He discusses success, organizational diversity, business development, how to ask for the help we need and what he has changed his mind about over the years. Opening track by Josh Johnson: https://soundcloud.com/saxophone_capone/vibrations-willie-g-x-josh-the-classic-feat-kris-bergh http://www.augsburg.edu/ http://jjhill.org/ http://www.1millioncups.com/ Closing track by The Happy Children: https://thehappychildren.bandcamp.com/track/honest-boy http://www.chancebychance.com/

This week's American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's Let's Talk Trains features three different museums, a Great Northern Railway discussion and details about the Great Northern Railroad Historical Society. We start with a visit to TrainlandUSA, just north of Colby, Iowa, Then we pass through Des Monies, IA and stop in Boone, IA and visit the Iowa Railroad Museum. Next, we head to St. Paul, Minnesota and learn about the James J. Hill House, the founder of the Great Northern Railroad. The get an inside look into the life of a Great Northern railroader. We will wrap-up with look at rhe Great Northern Historical Society, That's all this week on the APRHF's Let's Talk Trains. Be sure and join us in the chatroom, on the Let's Talk Train's webpage. www.letstalktrains.com

Not unlike the divided household of Downton Abbey, we have a dramatic example of upstairs/downstairs life right here in Minnesota. The “Empire Builder” James J. Hill and his family were the primary occupants of 240 Summit Avenue but another, less familiar group of people lived there as well: the 10 to 12 live-in domestic servants [...]

The Hill Family Collection, which includes the papers of St. Paul tycoon James J. Hill and other Hill family members, contains over 8,000 individual photographs and graphic images.   In this podcast project cataloger Jillian Odland shares just a few examples of the many photos, drawings, paintings, and posters found in the collection.

Hill project cataloger Jillian Odland shares some fun and quirky objects, photos and letters she’s found while working on the papers of St. Paul railroad baron James J. Hill, his son Louis W. Hill, and other Hill family members.

It's February 1931 on Radio Journeys, and this week we hear Empire Builders commemorating its very first show, in a remake of its January 14, 1929, episode. It's about James J. Hill, the founder of the Great Northern Railway, in his younger days, as one of the pioneers of railroading. Then, more from Si and Elmer and Omar, Wizard of Persia.Today's Old Time Radio Station NOW ON AIR!!SUPPORT US BY SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS HempUSA Store       

Robert Rulon-Miller is an antiquarian book dealer who lives, if not in a mansion, then at the very least in a great big house on Summit Avenue, one of the toniest in St. Paul, Minnesota. Not that toiling as a bookseller is anyway to get rich quick. He has worked hard for many years in the business, specializing in 'Rare, Fine & Interesting Books in Many Fields; 1st Editions, Americana; Literature; Fine & Early Printing; Travel; and the History of Language.' His most recent catalogue is titled Language and Learning. Robert is also the Director of the Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar scheduled for August 2nd-7th, 2009, at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, immediately following the Denver Antiquarian Book Fair. We met at his home to talk books. Topics covered include de-accessioning, railway and mining tycoon James J. Hill, Robert's friendship with Elmer Anderson, book collector and Governor of Minnesota; Robert's interest in words and language, his expertise in dictionaries and grammars, and lack of interest in Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, Better World Books's business model, partnering to buy and sell expensive books, and advice for the novice bookseller.   

Early in 2008 the papers of legendary Minnesota businessman James J. Hill and several of his family members were transferred from the James J. Hill Reference Library in St. Paul to the Minnesota History Center, just a few blocks away. In this podcast, learn about the history and contents of the collection and the [...]

SOMETIME IN THE late spring of 1909, at the Oregon Railway & Navigation Company's ticket booth in Portland, a 19-year-old man named Jim Morrell laid down his last $2 for a ticket on the Bailey Gatzert, the famous Columbia River sternwheeler. Destination: The Dalles. Morrell was from Colorado originally; just now he was at loose ends, drifting through Portland looking for work. He thought he might find it in The Dalles. Someone had told him about a great railroad war playing out near The Dalles, as railroad magnates E.H. Harriman of the Union Pacific and James J. Hill of the Great Northern scrambled to be the first to punch a railroad line through from the Columbia Gorge into Bend. Harriman's road was called the Des Chutes (sic) Railroad; Hill was calling his the Oregon Trunk Railroad. Although still a young man, Morrell had some experience with gasoline-powered equipment, and thought this might be a good opportunity for him. So he had gambled his last two bucks (roughly $65 in modern money) to get to the scene, in hopes he could land a job. Morrell didn't look like much when he arrived. On the journey his hat, a battered brown derby, had gotten split between brim and crown; his hair poked through the hat above the brim, making for a pretty comical appearance. Luckily, his hair was also brown, so it looked OK from far away. Upon his arrival, Morrell was met by a friend — probably the one who'd told him there was work to be had. Morrell's friend staked him to a meal and a flophouse bunk, and the next day he wasted no time in seeking out J.D. Porter, who with his brother Johnson Porter ran the construction company that had the Northern Pacific (James J. Hill) contract. Porter's first question after Morrell introduced himself was straight and to the point: “Do you know how to skin a bubble?” he asked. (The Dalles, Wasco County; 1900s, 1910s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/23-11.automo-bubbling-in-a-railroad-war-627.html)