I finally sold my fireplace mantle yesterday. I’ll count that as a Win/Win all around. The man who bought it from me is going to gift it to his sister in Houston, which for you non-locals, is about 250-miles away.

I yearn for the days when the biggest news in the area was when all locals were rushing out to get a picture next to the Leaning Tower of Dallas.

I’d like the see the producers and technical folks for The Simpsons make a new episode without the use of the voice actors, just relying on voices recorded from all previous episodes.

The Trump administration paid a bankrupt company with zero employees $55 million for N95 masks, which it’s never manufactured

#OTD in 1945, HST wrote a 14-page letter to his mother & sister, detailing his swearing-in as President & first days in office. We recently digitized these copies, as Mary Jane destroyed the originals. #Truman75 https://t.co/lP9CQcXMsq pic.twitter.com/CPLMSIWNcL

— Truman Library (@TrumanLibrary) April 16, 2020

What a fantastic piece of history. A firsthand, hand-written account to close family, of what it was like being informed you are now the president of the United States. Thankfully, the Truman Library transcribed the handwriting. I’ve included some highlights below, but I get a kick out of the envelope. Truman, the simple man that he was, handwrote the return address, and notice the lack of a street address. Why no ZIP code? Well, two years prior to the date on the letter, only large cities had ZIP codes, they didn’t become nationwide 1963. I also find it noble act of his sister burning the originals as a way to protect her big brother. And I found it noble of him paying his apartment rent for the current and following month.

• When I arrived at the Pennsylvania entrance to the most famous house in America a couple of ushers met me, bowed and scraped and took my hat; and then took me up to Mrs. Roosevelt’s study on the second floor.Mrs. Roosevelt put her arm on my shoulder and said “Harry, the President is dead.”It was the only time in my life I think, that I ever felt like I’d had a real shock. I had hurried to the White House to see the President and when I arrived I found I was the President. No one in history of our country ever had it happen to him just that way.
• I asked Mrs. Roosevelt what I could do, and she asked me what she could do to help me.
• Mrs. R. said she wanted to fly to Warm Springs that evening and did I think it would be proper for her to use a government plane. I told here that as soon as I was sworn in I would order that all the facilities of the Government should be at her command until the funeral was over. That wasn’t necessary but it made her feel that her using the plane was all right.
• We then had to survey around and find a Bible for me to put my hand upon to take the oath. They finally found one. If I’d known what was afoot I’d have used Grandpa Truman’s Bible which was in my office bookcase.
• This afternoon we moved to this house, diagonally across the street (Penna. Ave.) from the White House, until the Roosevelts have had time to move out of the White House. We tried staying at the apartment but it wouldn’t work. I can’t move without at least ten secret service men and twenty policemen. People who lived in our apartment couldn’t get in and out without a pass. So — we moved out with suitcases. Our furniture is still there and will be for time. But I’ve paid the rent for this month and will pay for another mother if they don’t get the old White House redecorated by that time.
• Mrs. Roosevelt told Bess & me that it is infected with rats!

Testing The Strength Of Different 3-D Printed Bridge Designs With A Hydraulic Press

We had design competition where our viewers designed their own bridge designs that we printed out and tested with the 40 ton press and 20 ton force sensor. All test items are printed using PLA plastic with 0.15mm layer height