Today’s mailbag is infused with the kind of banter I love. Your interesting stories and insights are a pleasure to read. Sorry I couldn’t get them all in, but here some that stood out.

The Edmund Fitzgerald

Byron,

Thank you for the article in The Rude this morning. It gave me goosebumps as I recalled that terrible day on November 10th. I was 10 years old when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down, and it hit my family hard. At the time, my grandfather was the general manager of Bay Shipbuilding Corporation in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The news sent shockwaves through my family. My uncle Bob worked in purchasing at Bay Shipbuilding, while my father and another uncle spent their college summers helping to build the great iron ore carriers — including greasing the skids to ready the boats for launch. That Thanksgiving in Sturgeon Bay 50 years ago is something I will never forget.

The big question on everyone's mind was: How could this have happened? I didn’t see much of my grandfather that entire weekend, as he was busy working with others to try to answer that question. I remember the phone constantly ringing and visitors coming in and out of my grandparents' house — to ask questions, share information, and offer condolences, even though the ship wasn’t built at Bay Shipbuilding. It showed me what a tight-knit “family” the shipbuilding industry was. Your article really brought those feelings from 50 years ago flooding back. Thank you for the recollection.

Mike S.

Mayor Mamdani and His New Sandbox

Regarding your “Sandbox” article: Right on target, Sean. Many parents receive at least one toddler who hears - “Don’t touch the stove. It can burn you.” - multiple times daily, and who inexplicably responds with an increasingly intense attraction. Among them, any good parent likely remembers the moment of decision. It came with a sigh and perhaps a slight shake of the head. “Ok. My input has been repeatedly ignored for months here. This one needs to learn for himself.” Standing by and watching from a distance, the parent observes the little head turning left then right to scan for intruders as he steps toward the stove. To this little mind, the red glow is an attraction instead of a warning. The feel of uncomfortably warm air next to the burner is a call for more, not less. When the moment arrives, the good parent is already calmly stepping toward it. Contact. Immediate recoil. The little face displays surprise over the pain. The instant flurry of activity - almost as surprising as the pain - speaks volumes. “Wow. They KNEW it would feel like this.” - thinks the little mind. Cold water was already running. Ice cubes are already next to the sink. Ointment, etc. Cuddling. No words needed. For the next day or so. The toddler’s fingers will remind him every minute (along with the occasional reapplication of ointment): “Warnings from experienced people are wisdom and love.” Shortly afterward, at cooking time, the parent observes a noteworthy, albeit predictable change in the toddler’s kitchen behavior.

Sincerely,

John L. 

Sean, 

Good morning and good article. No matter how you cut it, NYC is between a rock and a cow patty. A rather large rock, falling fast, and a fresh soft cow pie. Stand back. You have a "this time will be different" commie, a proven "winner" in Cuomo, and the other guy. Oh boy, and good luck. I tend to agree with your take on all that, but... this will turn out to be just the latest in a long line of "it will work, we just need to try again". OK, you betcha. Yes, Reality, she is a cold one, but she does warm a Capitalist's heart. As for the migration of money to FL, TX, and TN, yes, bring your wealth, not your liberal BS. Our property taxes have already shot up thanks to the early inflows from "the great blue beyond". Soon we won't be able to afford our own homes. And I, for one, am too old to be looking for greener pastures, thank you very much. All for now, done ranting.

My best to your team and family.

David K. 

Sean:

Once again, you nailed it, and you are the only one who has. Mamdani has sung his song from every corner, soapbox, and stage about how “wonderful” socialism is and how only he can make NYC affordable. All the talking heads are saying, “Oh woe is me, a socialist in the 'greatest city in America'” [debatable] should not be run by a socialist, and how he cannot fulfill the promises he has made. I agree he should win. NYC should elect him so that reality can bite them in the butt. Nothing teaches someone a lesson better than failure.

Regards,

Dan C. 

The Cheney Sendoff

Great eulogy, Mr Ring. I laughed so hard I cried, because Cheney was indeed the devil incarnate. Absolutely #1 commentary of the week. In ANY publication. Sarah M.

Go Big or Go Homer

Sean,

Thank you for years of useful & insightful commentary on the markets. I love your admission of the difficulty of controlling your emotional responses to surprising activity. BUUUT, your paen to Homer is one of your best ever, and I have followed your writing for quite a few years. Your ability to see the importance of being human is “classical”.

Wrap Up

Thank you all for writing in. I love it and appreciate it greatly.

Also, I carefully track your likes and dislikes of my articles. Primarily, I do this to make sure I write about the topics you want to read about. But I also do it to see any controversy.

For example, yesterday’s open letter to The Donald has both the largest number of likes and the largest number of dislikes of any article I’ve ever written. That shows me strong feelings in The Rude Remnant about The Donald. That’s ok, and it’s really helpful to know.