So Guided By History marks its second anniversary today. That's right, two years of bringing History to The People!

Frankly, I deserve all the credit, but I want to share it because that's just the kind of guy I am — a sharer.  I choose to share credit with:

• Valerie, our best buddy in Minneapolis.

• Joel and Ed, who do more things for the production of this blog than they're actually allowed to do.

• Henrik, who pushes 3 accurate buttons for every 12 wrong ones I push. (And who really oughta consider a safer sport...)

• Tim, who thought it was a pretty good idea and probably wonders if he made the right decision.

• All my colleagues in the History world of Wells Fargo who write so well.

And of course I share credit with all of you who drop by every day and check in with us. No YOU, no Guided By History. Period.

Thanks, Everyone!!

Posted by Charles at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Found in Experts, Get Involved, Holidays, Misc, Participate, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

A couple of months ago (October 21, 2007), Wells Fargo helped celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Sacramento Public Library . A Wells Fargo Stagecoach made an appearance and the Old Sacramento Museum staff presented a gold panning exhibition. The festivities attracted many visitors, young and old, who enjoyed gold panning   and the other activities. The most important part, however, was the celebration of the 150th anniversary  of the Public Library.

Five years after the creation of Wells Fargo in 1852, the Sacramento Public Library was created. By 1857, Sacramento was developing rapidly . The city had a railroad, city hall, newspaper, steamboat service, ten churches, brothels, theaters and a Wells Fargo Express Office. The citizenry felt it necessary to fulfill their intellectual requirements as well – so in October, prominent residents formed the Capital Library Association.

The Association sold stock at 25 dollars per share and raised $25,000 to buy books, furnish the library and purchase land for the building. The Library opened in November 1857 to subscribing members who paid five dollars initially, then two dollars and fifty cents quarterly. The first building was located at 5th and J Streets and housed a collection of 800 books.

The following year, another 800 books sailed from New York , around Cape Horn , and through the Delta  to Sacramento. By September 1873, the library had 260 subscribing members and an annual circulation of 4,234 books. Unfortunately, membership started to decline after that.

The Association offered the property to the City of Sacramento to be used as a free public library. In June 1879, the Sacramento Free Library opened with over 6,000 books. Within six months, the number of daily visitors had grown to over 100. Since then library service has continued to expand, with the opening of branch sites throughout the city's communities.

The main branch  of Sacramento's modern Public Library opened in 1992 on 9th and I Streets in a beautiful six-story building. The Library today offers so much more with exhibits, programs, book readings and events. But the 150-year history of the Library is not forgotten: those 800 books that sailed 'round the Horn  in 1858 are still a part of the Library's rare book collection.

Posted by Martha at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Get Involved, Gold, Misc, Museums, Perspective, Remember, Sacramento, Transportation, Wells Fargo Bank

Check out this blurb from the January, 1915 Wells Fargo Messenger. Priceless.

I wish one and all the best of Days, ever!

Posted by Charles at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Found in Agriculture, Animals, First-hand Accounts, Get Involved, Holidays, Misc, Participate, Prepare, Remember, Thanksgiving, Wells Fargo Bank

The 25th anniversary of the Thanksgiving Day fire that destroyed Northwestern National Bank  (now Wells Fargo) in downtown Minneapolis is fast approaching. The fire was, at the time, the largest office fire in US history and caused an estimated $100 million in damages. The flames burned for four days and demanded the efforts of 180 firefighters. Amazingly, the first five floors of the bank building were untouched by fire. Charles Lindberg’s first plane, a "Jenny" , on display in the lobby was unscathed (Lucky Lindy lives on), as were the safe deposit boxes and vault.

A new emergency plan — quickly put into place along with computer backup files stored four blocks away (new technology in those days) — allowed the bank to continue business the next day. By the following Monday, 1,500 team members were working from new office spaces throughout town.

The empty shell of a building stood for two years until it was demolished in 1984. The city block stood empty for another four years until the construction of the Norwest Center (now called the Wells Fargo Center ). Designed by Cesar Pelli , the 57-story bank tower opened in 1989. Pelli salvaged and reused many architectural parts from the demolished 1930 bank building. “These elements," Pelli declared, "help make the connection between past and present, old and new, to strengthen the continuity through time that is the hallmark of all great cities.”

Join us in remembering the fire. Contribute your stories online at our history website. And visit the museum on Tuesday, November 20, for a reception from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. CST. Objects on display at the Wells Fargo History Museum in Minneapolis include a melted telephone retrieved from the charred office remains.

Posted by Megan at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in At Work, Fires, Get Involved, Minneapolis, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Participate, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Thanksgiving, Wells Fargo Bank

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, spent winter vacations in Upper Michigan , and spent summer vacations camping around the country. My husband was raised in Indiana, where the ice storms  are legendary. We were both taught to have an attitude of preparedness. Our cars are outfitted with jumper cables, emergency shovels, sleeping bags, windshield scrapers, and (of course) umbrellas.

We don't have hammers.

When your car falls into water, you can't open the door because of the pressure from the water. If you have manual windows, you can open a window and swim out. If you have power windows, you must break a window in order to escape. How do you prepare for this? Keep a hammer in your car, within reach of the driver's seat.

The night of the I-35W bridge  collapse, I watched regular-channel programming for the first time in two years. I watched all night. By the time the rescue efforts were called off for the night, I had finally figured something out. All along, people had been saying that there were 50 or more cars on the bridge when it collapsed. But on the news coverage, there were more like 20, if that. I finally realized that all those missing cars were underneath the part of the bridge that was in the water.

Did those people keep hammers in their cars? Could I have gotten out?

There is a running joke in Minnesota that all we can talk about is the weather . There's a good reason for that: We have a lot of weather, and it causes the natural disasters that we deal with here. We have blizzards, we have tornados, we have flooding. We don't have earthquakes, or hurricanes, or tsunamis. So, of course, we talk about the weather. But now we're talking about bridges.

The I-35W bridge across the Mississippi is as complicated in its death  as it was simple during its life . For many of us, it is as though we lost a family member. Many of us drove that bridge twice a day; I myself drove it about twice a week. Its death has caused tangled emotions and tangled conversations, no less than it has caused tangled traffic. Some of us ran to give first aid help; some of us ran for our cameras; some of us ran away. Some of us want to get as close to it as possible; some of us can't even see pictures without shedding tears. Some of us blame the mayor; some blame the governor; some blame the legislature; some blame the construction company doing repairs. Some of us want to spend more on all of our highways; some of us want to spend more on mass transit; some of us want to spend more on maintaining the status quo.

I just want to buy a hammer .

Posted by Phyllis at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Found in At Home, At Work, Events, Get Involved, Minneapolis, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Chris Terzich, with our Incident Management Team in Minnesota, noted my post from last October, "How Do You Prepare For Crime?" In it, I wrote:

I could use a little help. My neighborhood is being infiltrated by criminals, and I honestly don't know how to "prepare" for crime ... I want to have the right pieces in place to prevent it from happening, or to lessen the impact on my property and my peace of mind ...

How do you prepare for crime? What does the Preparedness Kit consist of?

Chris dropped me a line with some advice that sounds like the surest bet—people getting together to protect the neighborhood. To have each other's back, so to speak.

"Hi Charles," Chris wrote:

"Locks, maybe alarms and a good habit of using them are important, but the most effective, if not most efficient, way to prevent crime is to know your neighbors. National Night Out  looks to accomplish that. It seems odd that a little grillin' and chattin'  will do anything meaningful to reduce crime, but it can. After eight years in our neighborhood, I know my neighbors and they know me. They may not be home all the time, but if I leave my garage door open, or someone comes to my house when I am out of town, I can expect a call.

"It takes time, and one National Night Out may not change a whole lot, but it is a good start."

Well, that sounds pretty good to me. Grillin' and chattin'  itself is motivation enough to get to know the neighbors, even the odd ones. If it adds to the "insurance" we all need against harsh reality, so much the better. An added note—the neighborhood organized a meeting with police shortly after the original post. The cops said pretty much what Chris said. Strong neighborhoods are the surest bet to discourage crime.

Yesterday I got the propane tank refilled. Today I stocked up on some burgers and chicken and emailed the neighbors whose potato salad recipe  has a sterling reputation. They're coming by in a couple days after work, and we're going to have few laughs and start looking out for each other's security.

And start gettin' the word out! 

Posted by Charles at 09:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in At Home, At Work, Barbecue, Crime, First-hand Accounts, Get Involved, Misc, Neighborhood watch, Participate, Perspective, Prepare, Wells Fargo Bank

Yesterday evening, the I-35W bridge between Minneapolis and St. Paul collapsed during rush hour. Many died or suffered major injuries. At this point, the rescue operations are still going on, and it's hard to know what the ultimate toll will be.

Guided By History has bloggers in Minneapolis, and there are many people who work with us in preparation and publication. We all like each other a lot, laugh a lot about some of the things we put together here, and really believe in our company and its outreach. At this point, I know some are OK. I have not heard about others, but the calls are in and I'm waiting to hear.

The whole thing freaked me out because these are people I know and care about. I've been to Minneapolis on business, winter and summer, and it's a wonderful place. We have a terrific relationship with the Minnesota Historical Society  in St. Paul. Twin Cities people are my neighbors, and I feel this tragedy deeply.

Please contact the Red Cross chapter in Minneapolis  and do what you can to help. If you are part of this blog community, send an email or comment to let me know how you're holding up.

Posted by Charles at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Found in Events, Get Involved, Minneapolis, Misc, Museums, Natural Disasters, Perspective, Wells Fargo Bank

In May 1976, Wells Fargo Bank's Corporate Responsibility Committee found vanpools  "offer significant potential energy savings." The committee recognized the energy conservation that could be realized by such a program and referred it to the appropriate departments in the bank for implementation.

Environmental consciousness  developed quickly in the 1970s, thanks to the protest movements of the '60s and to the overwhelming pollution scourging the nation. In 1973, the gas crisis  raised prices at the pump and caused a major upheaval in the way Americans thought about their cars. (Check this outstanding report  on it.) Conservation became an important method for balancing supply with demand. People were looking for ways to save gas.

One method was to carpool, to find others who were going the same place and double up. In time, casual carpools  emerged as a way to commute. But vanpooling was the big idea that bridged business support with individual commuter habits. Businesses sponsor the vans and their maintenance, while rider-workers pay a reasonable fare and drive. The vans have dedicated routes, from a neighborhood to a business location.

The whole thing has worked pretty well, considering the long list  of vanpool and ride-sharing programs that exist. And the United States Environmental Protection Agency  actually rates the best programs and models the best areas for these programs.

But back in those halcyon '70s , when all this was the juncture of critical problem and forward thinking, the concept of riding together with people who were not family was new. But for Wells Fargo, the idea wasn't so new. From the beginning, the company supported the idea of taking as many passengers as the vehicle could handle!

Posted by Charles at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in At Work, Environment, Get Involved, Misc, Participate, Perspective, Prepare, Remember, Ride sharing, Stagecoach, Vanpools, Wells Fargo Bank

Did you feel the excitement in the air this week? No? Well, this wasn’t broadcast live on television.  It wasn’t made into a musical.  The winners probably won’t throw the first pitch  at a major league baseball game. But, for a select few, this week was the highlight of months of effort, and a time they’ll likely remember for years to come. I won’t keep you in suspense any longer—it’s National History Day! 

For lack of a better comparison, think of a science fair only starring young historians doing original historical research and interpretation. Students choose topics relating to a broader theme, conduct research through libraries, archives, museums, oral history interviews and historic sites. After organizing the research and drawing conclusions, students present their work through categories such as original paper, exhibit, and performance. Students proceed through local and state competitions, hoping to make it all the way to national. The National Contest just finished this week. Even Ken Burns—a historical interpretation celebrity(!)—was there.

I had the pleasure of judging history day for the first time a number of years ago, and look forward to it every year. (I am proud to support a home team, and mention Sacramento County  has two contestants at nationals this year.) Considering our company history, it is no surprise that other Wells Fargo employees enjoy supporting National History Day in some way. Some of the Wells Fargo History Museum  curators have judged and recruited large numbers of other employees to participate at local or state competitions. Wells Fargo has sponsored local and national prizes for special topics. And, the Wells Fargo History Museums serve as teaching environments to support parents and students.

So if this has piqued your interest, or you can think of a young aspiring historian or curator to share this information  with, find out more and be part of the excitement  next year!

Posted by Anne at 07:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in Events, Experts, First-hand Accounts, Get Involved, Holidays, Misc, Museums, Participate, Perspective, Sacramento, San Francisco, Wells Fargo Bank

From the Wells Fargo's Archives, a check brochure from 1972:

If you're concerned about our environment, you know there are many ecology organizations who need and deserve support. It was this kind of concern that prompted what we call our Ecology Donation Program. The way it works could hardly be simpler.

Every time you purchase a supply of Wells Fargo checks during 1972, we'll give you the opportunity to have us contribute 25 cents out of the purchase price to an ecology group of your choice.

As the project managers understood, Wells Fargo's stagecoach checks and Western-themed checks would be popular. The 25-cent donations generated about $75,000 during the campaign, for worthwhile ecology organizations  in California, like the National Audubon Society  and The Nature Conservancy .

"It's another case," the brochure added, "where 'little things mean a lot.'"

Go Green!  Go Wells Fargo!

There is more about Wells Fargo's commitment to improving the environment here.

Posted by Keri at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in Artifacts, At Work, Get Involved, Participate, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

In 1979, Wells Fargo opened its first solar-powered branch in Culver City, Calif.  The novel project underscored the company's expanding involvement in solar energy. At the time, solar air conditioning  systems were unique—and way more expensive than solar heating  systems. Wells Fargo's Culver City office was the first financial institution in Southern California to use this novel cooling technique.

The Alten Co.  designed and engineered the solar energy system for the building. The drive-up canopy was topped with 840 square feet of solar collectors to provide energy to heat or cool the building. Customers and other curious people were able to see how the system functioned by peering through a glass wall inside the lobby.

Customers were able to do their banking outside at the two walk-up windows and three drive-up windows. Looking back, walk-up seems the most natural solar way to do business, especially in sunny Southern California. On the other hand, doing drive-up business at a solar-powered building is totally contradictory. But hey, it was the innocent '70s! 

Click here to learn more about Wells Fargo's commitment to improving the environment.

Posted by Keri at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Found in At Work, Get Involved, Participate, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

My posts on Wells Fargo and the environment continue ...

Wells Fargo's response to environmental affairs began in 1970 , the year Earth Day was officially begun. Yet Wells Fargo had been involved with helping the environment and environmental agencies for much longer.

Forty years after Wells Fargo was established, the Sierra Club  was co-founded in 1892 by John Muir, who was also its first president. During Muir's presidency, the Sierra Club corresponded with John J. Valentine, Wells Fargo's president. John Muir the environmentalist was a Wells Fargo customer who depended on his local agency to assist with his banking and express needs.

In 1908, Muir sent Wells Fargo money orders to his daughter Helen in the Southern California town of Daggett . He also shipped the bounties of his beloved Martinez, Calif. , ranch via Wells Fargo & Co. Express: "I sent you today by (Wells Fargo) Express the jasmine you wanted," he wrote in 1908.

Later that year, he sent Helen some wine: "I sent by express today a crate of Muscat ... gleaned from the young vines on the Rodgers place. I paid a dollar Express [to] Mr. Shaw (Muir's local Wells Fargo agent). ... " And: "I have just sent you by Express a box of cherries Royal Anns , good raw or cooked. [We] picked them this morning and delivered them to the Ex Agent at Muir Station about 9 A.M."

Click here to learn more about Wells Fargo's commitment to improving the environment.

(My thanks to Historian John Keibel for his research assistance on this post!)

Posted by Keri at 08:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Found in Get Involved, Participate, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Colleague Keri is correct on Wells Fargo’s paper-saving efforts. The bank has been recycling for more than a century. In 1886, for instance, Wells Fargo sold its accumulated waybills, prior to January 1, 1885, for old paper. The rag content in the waste paper  meant it could be reused.

Similarly, one agent might reuse the records of a previous agent. For instance, Benjamin F. Richtmyer was Wells Fargo’s Express agent in Drytown (Amador County), Calif. , from 1860 to 1875. His general store was busy constantly, for Richtmyer was also postmaster and telegrapher as well as express agent.

In 1875, Richtmyer became county clerk, moved to the county seat of Jackson, and continued to serve as a Wells Fargo agent until 1899. Of course, he left the Drytown office records for incoming Agent William Jennings (1875-1894). In 1884, general store keeper Jennings used Richtmyer’s 1860s money receipt books as scrapbooks to preserve bills for merchandise received.

In more recent times, I would find Hawaiian beaches strewn at the high water line with chopped debris  from sugar cane milling. Bagasse, as this refuse is called, is about a quarter-inch wide, four inches long, and in great abundance. In 1972, Wells Fargo proposed to keep this problem in check by making checks out of it.

We do our part.

Posted by Bob at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Artifacts, At Work, Get Involved, Participate, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

Wells Fargo was one of the first banks in the industry to offer checks printed on recycled paper. A green stagecoach, signifying Wells Fargo's ecological efforts, appeared on the cover of the Wells Fargo Banker in 1972.

On February 1 that year, Wells Fargo began printing checks on paper that was produced from 86% bagasse  (pronounced buh-GAS') instead of wood pulp. Bagasse is the crushed, juiceless residue  of sugar cane as it comes from the mill, which would simply become industrial waste if not recycled for paper. News of Wells Fargo's “bagasse checks” prompted postcards, letters and phone calls praising the bank's effort at ecology .

Wells Fargo chose bagasse in place of recycled paper  because the latter could not, at that time, meet check-printing requirements. Foreign material in recycled paper could detract from the magnetic readings checks require. Plus, the quality of recycled paper was unsuitable for printing the four-color stagecoach checks.

In 1991, recycled paper had improved for use as checks. Wells Fargo introduced new check designs printed on recycled paper.

"Wells Fargo is committed to using recycled paper in all areas of our business, from stationery to computer paper to loan applications. As a checking customer you see that commitment in monthly account statements and envelope made from recycled paper, as well as in teller receipts and deposit envelopes. Recycling is important to us and our communities and our goal is to do our part to make it work."

It's still a goal today.

Click here to learn more about Wells Fargo's commitment to improving the environment.

Posted by Keri at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Artifacts, At Work, Get Involved, Participate, Wells Fargo Bank

Working in the Archives at Wells Fargo, I have discovered many instances in which Wells Fargo has supported environmental affairs throughout its 155-year history. This is the first of several blog contributions to share information about two of my favorite topics.

April 22, 1970 , is when the Earth Day  celebration movement officially began. That same year, in its Annual Report, Wells Fargo wrote a letter to its stockholders which stated,

"A basic trend on American life in the Seventies will be acceleration of concern with the quality of all facets of our existence. It will be accompanied by a growing need for capital to improve our environment, rebuild our cities, improve transportation, and eliminate air and water pollution. Wells Fargo is committed to do its share in providing capital and expertise in these areas."

And Wells Fargo did. During the 1970s (and since), Wells Fargo has ramped up its ecological focus on operations by introducing everything from recycled paper use to solar-powered branches. Over the next couple weeks I will share with you moments of Wells Fargo's ecological history.

Check this out to learn more about Wells Fargo's commitment to improving the environment.

Posted by Keri at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Found in At Home, At Work, Events, First-hand Accounts, Get Involved, Participate, Prepare, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

In English

En muchas comunidades , el día de hoy conmemora a César Chávez , un hombre que fue líder de un movimiento histórico por los derechos civiles, laborales y humanos. Chávez trabajó duro para lograr un trato justo para los trabajadores agrícolas , migratorios y la gente que no tiene voz en la política. El movimiento de Chávez sigue en acción hoy con el mismo grado de liberación y controversia que cuando marchaba él mismo hace 40 años.

Pero mi razón para celebrar aquí a César Chávez es su pasión por la educación. En la cumbre de su trabajo con el movimiento laboral, Chávez conectó la lucha por los salarios con una lucha por el respeto a sí mismo. "Lo que está en cuestión es la dignidad humana", dijo. "Si un hombre no es concedido el respeto no puede respetarse él mismo y si él no se respeta, no puede exigir el respeto." Una declaración filosófica como ésta reflejó un compromiso con el pensamiento profundo y con elevar el poder del aprendizaje. Pero no se dirigía solo a los intelectuales: "Debemos comprender que la forma más alta de libertad lleva con ella la mayor medida de disciplina" dijo Chávez. "Necesitamos ayudar a estudiantes y a padres en apreciar y preservar la diversidad étnica y cultural que nutre y fortalece esta comunidad—y esta nación." (Énfasis mío.)

En resumen, la educación potenciaría a la persona, construiría una comunidad más fuerte y un puente entre comunidades que habían estado en conflicto. "La preservación de la cultura propia no requiere el desprecio o la falta de respeto para otras culturas" dijo, "La dedicación de sí mismo es una experiencia espiritual".

En 1973, cuatro educadores abrieron un "Colegio abierto" en Oregón, llamándolo Colegio César Chávez y presentando un programa de Estudios Chicanos: el primero del país. El Colegio existió diez años y, desde entonces, los programas de estudios Latinos  se han convertido en la norma dentro de la educación superior estadounidense.

"No hay sustituto para dedicarse al trabajo, 23 o 24 horas al día. Y no hay sustituto para la paciencia y la aceptación". César Chávez dio el ejemplo, trabajando él mismo hasta quedar exhausto por su causa. "El fin de toda sabiduría seguramente debe ser la construcción de carácter", dijo Chávez. La grandeza de su carácter demuestra el genio absoluto de César Chávez.

¡Felíz Cumpleaños, César Chávez!

Posted by Charles at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Get Involved, Perspective, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

En Español

In communities around the country , today is set aside to honor César Chávez , a man who led a historic movement for civil rights, labor rights and human rights. Chávez worked hard to get a square deal for farm workers , migrant workers and people without a political voice. Chávez's movement is still in motion today—with as much liberation and controversy as when he was marching 40 years ago.

But my reason to celebrate César Chávez here is his passion for education. At the height of his work with the labor movement, Chávez connected the fight for wages with a struggle for self-respect. "What is at stake is human dignity," he said. "If a man is not accorded respect, he cannot respect himself, and if he does not respect himself, he cannot demand it." A philosophical statement such as this reflected a commitment to deep thought and the elevating power of learning. But it was not just for intellectuals: "We must understand that the highest form of freedom carries with it the greatest measure of discipline," Chávez said. "We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community—and this nation." (My emphasis.)

In short, education would empower the individual, build a stronger community and build a bridge between communities that had been in conflict. "Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures," he said. "Self-dedication is a spiritual experience."

In 1973, four educators opened a "College Without Walls" in Oregon, naming it Colegio César Chávez  and featuring a Chicano studies program—the nation's first. The college existed for 10 years, and Latino studies programs have become the norm in U.S. higher education since then.

"There is no substitute for hard work, 23 or 24 hours a day. And there is no substitute for patience and acceptance." César Chávez set the example, working himself to exhaustion in service to his cause. "The end of all knowledge must be the building up of character," Chávez said. The depth of his character proves his absolute genius.

¡Felíz Cumpleaños——Happy Birthday, César Chávez!

Posted by Charles at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Get Involved, Misc, Remember

I got my monthly dose of Road and Track magazine the other day. I have been a car nut for as long as I can remember, and while in these days of worry about carbon emissions it might not be something to be proud of, I accept my weakness for what it is.

What caught my eye was an article that mentioned Kyle Petty and the foundation he supports. His son Aaron was killed in a racing accident. Unfortunately, I have some idea what that is like, having lost an infant son. What Kyle Petty does is make it possible for children with terminal diseases to get the financial support that they need to make their fondest dreams come true.

Since Wells Fargo has started sponsoring the number 45 car that Petty drives, I have found myself pulled back to watching the races and remembering the days when I was little, watching David Pearson battle Kyle’s dad, Richard Petty. Back in those days I rooted for Pearson, the underdog. Kyle Petty is no threat to qualify for the Nextel Cup. But you can bet that I’ll be rooting for him and his foundation.

Posted by Allan at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Found in Get Involved, Misc, Museums, Participate, Wells Fargo Bank

More on Bronson Quaites. Because I said so, that's why.

You'll recall I profiled Miss Quaites last week. I tried to emphasize her great ability and her importance to the business, in an era when women were kept in lesser positions in spite of their aptitude. It's a testimony to Miss Quaites' abilities that she received recognition for her skills.

So just who is this Bronson Quaites, anyway? Well, I don't know much about her personal life life, but there is one area outside work where Bronson Quaites not only excelled, but also got write-ups in the paper.

Duckpin Bowling

It's a sport that caught on in the 20th century in eastern seabord cities: Boston, Baltimore, Norfolk, Philadelphia and Washington DC. (Here's everything you need to get started.) It's like bowling, only harder—the gear is smaller and there has never been a 300-game. Never. It's in decline now and has been for several years, but there is still a dedicated core of players who keep it alive.

So Bronson Quaites took up duckpin bowling as early as 1914, when the Washington Post first reported a Quaites victory. In 1917, she and a team of women bowlers took on a men's team and beat them by 28 pins. Over the next 15 years, Bronson Quaites formed the first league of women duckpin bowlers in DC, beacame its recurring president, expanded the league and established high-end tournament play. All the while, she was a bowling powerhouse, prominently featured in the sports pages. She led her own team, the "Beeques" (B-Qs—Bronson Quaites. Get it?) They set many local team records that stood for years: Best team score and best set (of 3 games). A 1933 story in the Post has her as a "ringer," brought in to nail down the win. And she did.

All this press couldn't have happened by itself. You know Miss Quaites was working the phones, getting reporters to games and tourneys, making duckpin bowling popular. The Post reported in 1939 that there were many more bowlers than lanes in the city, and popularity for the sport was growing weekly. I'm certain that Bronson Quaites was a major factor in that growth, both as star attraction and tireless booster.

In 1932, Miss Quaites was named to the Executive Committee for the National Duckpin Bowling Congress. The Bigs. She was elected President in 1939—never mind the first woman, we're talking top of the Duckpin Bowling world. The Boss. A year later, she declined a second term, insisting the office needed fresh ideas every term. Then she went to the tournament and toppled the maples with a feisty 145.

First Class, that Bronson Quaites.

And all this after hours. A Chief Clerk by day, sports executive and star by night. Bronson Quaites had it all.

Posted by Charles at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Get Involved, Remember, Wells Fargo Bank

As if you didn't have enough to do already, now we have to start packing for Jupiter .

Stephen Hawking  has declared what we all know is inevitable: Humankind must begin colonizing space because we are vulnerable here with no escape hatch. Not only do we face threats from within, but the threat of a cosmic accident , like a comet crashing into us, has statisticians and laypeople alike biting their nails in fear. (OK, maybe not ...)

Not to worry, citizens of Earth. Colonizing space is an old idea. Scientists and astronauts have been discussing the probable return to the moon  by U.S. flight. China is in the game  as well, and Russia was in space first . All of this because of the commercial possibilities in space —as good a reason as fear, I think, to get out there and start selling condos.

So where do we go first? Missions have been sent to various planets and beyond our solar system. And what do we need to ready ourselves for what we find? This is where disaster preparedness kits can help.

Mars has profound dust storms , so it stands to reason we need a dust storm navigation technology —the Army has it.

Venus is blanketed by greenhouse gases , so it's critical to carry our pollution survival plans .

Heavy winds on Saturn  demand the sort of wind storm preparation suggested here .

Space is not the final frontier anymore. It's the next frontier. As with everything else, just grab a flashlight and some bottled water, and you're as ready as you'll ever be.

Engage.

Posted by Charles at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Experts, Get Involved, Perspective, Prepare, Wells Fargo Bank

According to the news , they barely felt the 'quake in Japan on Wednesday (Thursday there—no, wait ...) before tsunami warnings got everyone to safety. Then, the tsunami traveled all the way from Asia to California and —WHAM!—struck Crescent City , wrecking docks and sinking a boat. One local said he was not aware of the tsunami until he heard about it from others. "We're only three blocks from the harbor," he said to the San Francisco Chronicle. "We didn't know it was coming."

Meanwhile, half a world away in North Carolina, a tornado upended Riegelwood  and killed eight people. "There was no warning. There was no time," one victim said in the AP report. "It just came out from nowhere."

I searched the National Weather Service for "warning system" and got a full page  of links to their procedures and policies.

So why are warnings not received? Is it fiscal trouble in counties? What's our weak link here?

Posted by Charles at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Found in Earthquakes, Get Involved, Natural Disasters, Participate, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Wells Fargo Bank

So we had this big ol' election yesterday to mandate the future of the world. Or maybe it was the usual events on the first Tuesday in November. Whatever the case, the news is big all over—new legislators, interesting voter opinions being expressed and all that. While I muse over a California issue, please weigh in on issues from your home.

There are two old maxims that contradict one another, which means they're both right. "The tyranny of the majority" (Tocqueville , Mill ) suggests the mass of folks will get it wrong every time. The other conclusion is that American voters express common sense (Jefferson ), that people set an agenda that makes government respond.

Take your pick, but let's look at California's Proposition 87  in either light.

Proposition 87 was an ambitious piece of legislation that was designed to tax energy companies to fund new sources of energy. Environmental groups were really, really optimistic  about 87's chances, while energy companies emptied their wallets to combat it. The campaigns were not nasty. Proponents  trumpeted the future, the first move away from our society's dependence on oil, foreign oil in particular. This capitalized on Americans' discomfort with situations in the Middle East, a major theme in this election. Opponents  keyed on the practical aspects of the proposition, which created a large bureaucracy with little or no accountability.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle , Proposition 87 was defeated, 56% to 44%. Americans voted for big changes, but not for this change. Why?

• Are we wedded to our cars, past the point of responsibility?
• What's with the market out there for hybrid cars?
• So why change government so dramatically, only to "stay the course" with energy?
• How does this jive with the defeat of an anti-environmentalist candidate from central California?
• Why vote away a bureaucracy but pass expensive bond measures for improvements by grand margins?
• How could environmentalists have miscalculated by 10%?
• Do people actually vote for oil companies? (Ask all your friends this question and watch their faces!)
• And how do you reconcile people voting "for"  smoking?

Obviously, people didn't vote for Big Oil and Big Tobacco. They voted against things they felt were not proper responses to the issues. Even if they voted "wrong," that's all analysis after the fact. You know—history. And propositions will come up again as they seem to, every June and November.

Never mind politics and issues. Sure, they are exciting and it's a lot like sports. ("Will my side win? I just hate the other guy!") But thinking about how and why the chips fall where they do is what really excites. And the implications.

So I'm inclined to agree with the conclusion that voters express common sense. Which is why you put something up for a vote in the first place—to get the, uh, common sense of the issue. Even if the common sense makes no sense now, it probably will soon enough.

Posted by Charles at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Found in Get Involved, Participate, Prepare, Wells Fargo Bank

Wednesday afternoon, Wells Fargo's 40-foot semi-trailer from the Cartwright Ranch in Benbrook, Texas, arrived at