In 1982, National Silver Industries—originally founded by Samuel E. Bernstein—was acquired by Towle Manufacturing Co. for $4.3 million. [1, 2] Company Overview Founder: Samuel E. Bernstein founded National Silver Co. (later National Silver Industries) in New York City around 1890. The company’s products often featured the hallmark “SEB”. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Expansion: Under his leadership and subsequent management, the company grew into a…
Right around the Fourth of July, Americans pay renewed attention to the country’s crucial founding document, the Declaration of Independence. Whether Republican or Democrat or independent, some will say – with reverence – that adherence to the values expressed in the declaration is what makes them American. President Barack Obama, in his second inaugural address, gave voice to this very conviction. “What binds this nation…
As America continues to grapple with the legacy of Donald Trump, it has become increasingly clear that the “president” and his loyal base are not merely disruptive forces in politics—they represent a deep and troubling erosion of the values that define democratic societies. From spreading baseless conspiracy theories to emboldening hatred, Trump’s rhetoric and actions have left an indelible mark on the American political landscape,…
Editor’s Note: Michael Patrick Welch, renowned New Oreans writer, musician, teacher and friend of The Escondido Grapevine, conducted an interview with the provocateur known to Andy Kauffman and Bob Zmuda fans as Tony Clifton. While others have shunned this outstanding piece of informational journalism, we embrace it and re-print this as a public service. “After years of chasing Tony Clifton to get his thoughts on…
March 14 is celebrated as Pi Day because the date, when written as 3/14, matches the start of the decimal expansion 3.14159… of the most famous mathematical constant. By itself, pi is simply a number, one among countless others between 3 and 4. What makes it famous is that it’s built into every circle you see – circumference equals pi times diameter – not to…
As people in the U.S. prepare to turn their clocks ahead at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8, I find myself bracing for the annual ritual of media stories about the disruptions to daily routines caused by switching from standard time to daylight saving time. About a third of Americans say they don’t look forward to these twice-yearly time changes. An overwhelming 63% to 16% majority…
It’s happened to all of us. You’re scrolling through your social media feed and see a link to what appears to be a news story, with a startling headline about something happening in your state or community. The text is formatted like a news article, and the website has the name of your town followed by some newspaper-y suffix — the “News” or “Post” or…
There’s nothing wrong with celebrating romantic love, but the focus on such celebrations drowns out the voices of those who are fine as they are – single and happily so. As I’ve argued in my research on the ethics and politics of the family, social practices that celebrate romance, while ignoring the joys of friendship and solitude, reflect widespread assumptions. One is that everyone is…
According to legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, there will be six more weeks of winter; if not, an early spring is predicted. This year no shadow. Of course groundhogs – also known as woodchucks – don’t emerge at this time just to be furry weather predictors. So what’s the real reason? Research into groundhog biology shows they have other priorities…
Hundreds of acres of land in North San Diego County are now protected in perpetuity by The Escondido Creek Conservancy (Conservancy) following the recent acquisition of two key properties: the White-Atterbury property, extending from Harmony Grove into San Marcos and Elfin Forest. These acquisitions represent critical components of the Conservancy’s Connecting Conservation Corridors Campaign, which aims to link fragmented native habitats so wildlife can survive…