What was that Famous Story about a Man making a Fake Coin out of Ice in order to Buy Heat for his room? I believe it was set in England.

A Man Lived in a room that had a Coin Operated Heater. He Would Put a Shilling in the Machine, turn the handle and the heater would run for a few Hours... So... Since he Often Did Not Have Money... He made a coin shaped mold on the windowsill outdoors and filled it with water... When it Froze, he put the coin shaped ice into the machine and "bought" heat for a few hours... Then the Fake Coin melted removing all evidence of the Crime... 

If you remember the name of this Famous Old Time Tale please Leave a Comment or email me at gregvan [at] yahoo [dot] com.

https://www.tribstar.com/features/historical-treasure-coin-operated-gas-meter-an-early-form-of-fuel-conservation/article_b578dd13-c11b-5541-bcd1-abac2a8b536c.html

When walking down “Main Street” at the new Vigo County History Center, you will pass the Wabash Theater, Meis Department Store and a general store. Next you will notice a set of wrought iron stairs from Terre Haute Gas Company. The beauty you see sitting on the stairs is a gas meter, made by American Meter Company and “established” in 1834 in New York City. The company made its presence in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. This particular model seems to have been manufactured in Philly.

What makes this piece very interesting to us, is that it was coin-operated. Much like a jukebox or slot machine, you paid as you played.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/179766/coin-operated-gas-meters

SG Said: 

I stayed for a week in a furnished London flat in 1995. It had a wall mounted combi gas boiler for DHW and central heat.

One morning we had no heat or hot water and could not light the boiler. My traveling companion was steaming and wanted to call the rental agent. I said “Wait a sec, let me check something”.

The gas meter, behind an access panel in the kitchen, had a mag stripe card slot. The LCD display read “£0.0”.

There was a new card sitting on top of the meter. I stuck it in, heard a click and the display read “£50.0”. Presto! Back in business.

Saved by the habit of reading old English novels. That’s where I found out about coin operated gas meters. Since the temperature there almost never drops below freezing, they don’t have to worry about frozen pipes.

SOG Said:

I actually used to have one on display in my office at the gas company. One of the interesting things about those meters they typically worked with nickels. So for those clever folks who wanted to steal gas they made them selves little trays the shape of nickels filled them with water and froze them. They then used the frozen nickel shaped fake coins to get the meters to work. The old timers would know the customers were stealing gas because instead of finding coins in the meter they found "WATER".

Bitcoin is Bogus: I Would Prefer to Buy Real Gold Coins instead... Gold Can be used to Conduct Electricity and It Does Not Rust... Copper Turns Green... Silver Tarnishes...

 MD Said: I have always been a skeptic on bitcoin no matter how high it goes. Some investors I follow like Ric Edelman and other financial hosts I respect are advocates and big investors in it. At the Berkshire Hathaway Meeting, Warren Buffet said this:

"I would "not spend $25" even if I was offered all the bitcoin in the world."

Ok, now I wouldn't be as extreme as that. If offered all the bitcoin in the world for 25 dollars, I would certainly take it, but he was trying to make a point here.

According to Buffett, he does not believe in investing in bitcoin as "it does not produce anything". An asset, he added, has a real value only if it can "deliver something to somebody".

Note: That is also why I don't invest in gold.

Of course, the crypto world went crazy -

but for me I will stay out of crypto currencies. I don't understand it. It makes no sense to me and I don't ever see it replacing our current fiat currency at least not in my lifetime.

LL Replied: Being of the IT and not finacial mindset, crypto currency looks like a pyramid scheme and a scam. A lot of computer resources and hence electricity going towards "mining" for small nuggets.

On the other hand, Megan Millions is at 57 million, est cash value 33.9 million.

I'm absolutely of the opinion that it's just a long-running ponzi scheme. Nothing but hot air behind it and your ability to find a greater fool to pay you more for it than you paid.

CL Said: I feel the same way about NFTs. Every generation has to learn. There’s a lot of predators out there….

~~~~~~ (~);-} ~~~~~~

Link: the Highest Selling Gear on my 

Zazzle Gregvan Giftshop - 

This is What the People Want

https://www.zazzle.com/store/gregvan/products?st=Orders <--- Link to My Store!

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I said: I think Bitcoin is Bogus Also. I don't Own any. Won't Own any. I would like a Gold Coin... Just to Rub it... and admire the color... maybe bite it too... One thing about Bitcoin is that if You Lose your Password Your Money is Gone. Totally Gone... a Gold Coin is still valuable even after a forest fire... and I have a Fondness for Gold because it conducts electricity and does not rust. Every connector used in Computers has Gold Plating. You can see it on the fingers of a card that plugs into a motherboard... 50 micro inches is standard. Enough to get the job done but not enough to recycle.

SG Said: yea it's crazy. There's no forgot password mechanism, there's absolutely zero consumer protections. If you accidentally send some coin to the wrong destination address, even if that destination is invalid or is a wallet nobody has ever used, your money is gone - no way to get it back. If you're a victim of fraud your money is gone, no bank can issue a chargeback for you.

SM Said: I agree, where does the "buck" stop? Nobody is liable, it is arguably backed by the "black market" at some level, but who do you call, nobody to answer to and for.

RW Said: It’s money being invested in the hope of an increased value of something that produces no service or product and creates no jobs. It’s money that can better be invested in reality

I Said: The Other Reason I want to Buy Gold is History... The California Gold Rush of 1849 etc etc etc... Like my Mom Said: "The Miners Came in '49 the Whores in '51 and When They Got Together, They Made the Native Son." - Bitcoin Doesn't have any History Like That...

and VK Said: Then maybe you've never heard of Silk Road! https://freeross.org/what-was-silk-road/

and I Replied: I have heard of it. It was an International Illegal Drug Store... I never Used it because I always bought my Illegal Drugs from People... My Favorite Place was the Parking Lot of a Grateful Dead Concert... I was also worried that a Silk Road Merchant would Take my money and Sell me something that was NOT Illegal Drugs... or Bad Quality... like If I Ordered LSD they Might Substitute DOM... Easy to Make, but a Three Day Nightmare trip...

That IS a Good History! Totally Worthy... I also wonder why Russia doesn't Ignore all Sanctions by the USA and Sell their Oil and Gas For Bitcoin... The USA opinions on Bitcoin is Unimportant... as they say: "Honey Badger Don't Care."

and VK Said:

Bitcoin is important to breaking free from government control of the economy. Just like gold, it is NOT an investment but a HEDEGE against inflation. Like gold, it's "price" fluctuates, but this is an illusion — what fluctuates over time (macro) is the "price" (value) of a fiat dollar. As the dollar is inflated away, its value declines and Bitcoin/gold/commodities in general "rise" in price because it takes more dollars to buy the same item. And ounce of gold is always an ounce of gold. A Bitcoin is always a Bitcoin. Only the dollar changes its value. Just like gold, one should not watch the daily (micro) fluctuations as individuals enter and leave the market for personal or psychological reasons.

The major drawback of Bitcoin is not that it looks like vaporware (it isn't). It's major drawback is that it is not truly anonymous. Our Enemy, The State, can unveil pseudonymous users (in my PhD research, I found many technical papers on how one could backtrack from the blockchain to the timing of transactions to the addresses used to the user. It's complicated, takes a lot of effort, and would probably be used to "make an example" of some high-end user.

There are other digital currencies aiming for complete anonymity. But none of them are "investments" from which you should expect to "profit." They are Counter-Economics style self-defense methods ofd escaping the stranglehold that governments have on fiat monetary systems. Someone bribing a border guard with a Gold Eagle to escape a tyranny is not thinking about what he paid for the coin at the time of purchase. It was a life-saving purchase, just like a first-aid kit.

MD replied to VK:  hmmm Bitcoin is touted as an inflation hedge but its not an inflation hedge. Look at its chart in the last month. Bitcoin will never be the currency to break free from government and yes the FED is an imperfect system but we have not had the major crashes or depressions that were continuous before the establishment of the FED. Be careful what you wish for.

NB Replied: "what fluctuates over time (macro) is the "price" (value) of a fiat dollar. "

WHAT?? Are you saying that from 2019 to 2021, when the value of a bitcoin rose from $9.2k in Oct 2019 to $61k in Oct 2021 (an increase of 563%), that we had annual inflation in fiat currency of 281%? That's absolutely absurd.

Everyone buying bitcoin is doing so as a speculative financial instrument, not as a hedge against inflation. In fact, as fiat currency increases in supply and decreases in purchasing power (inflation) - bitcoin has been decreasing in value. The exact opposite that you would expect if it were to be used as a hedge against inflation. You want an inflation hedge, buy series I-bond stocks from the us treasury.

Autobiography: Northshore Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley. and Some Trips with my parents... I remember riding the Tram to the top of Squaw Valley in the summer...

Many Bicycle riders were going to the top in order to ride down. I just went there to walk around and look at the Lake and the mountains. At the top is a Restaurant/Bar and an Ice Skating rink. I got a glass of whiskey and sat on the porch. It is really high in elevation and the booze was strong... and wonderful... 

I was living in my Dad's Cabin at Northshore for a few weeks in the late 1990s. Often I would get up in the morning and take a walk down to the lake... I would FLIP A COIN to see if I rode the local bus towards Nevada or towards the California side of the lake. If I was going to Nevada, I would stop at the Safeway Grocery Store and pick up a free "Shopper Coupon" newspaper. There were many "Lucky Buck" coupons for the Casinos. They would allow you to place one dollar bill and a lucky buck coupon as a TWO Dollar bet. If you won, they paid you TWO dollars, if you lost they kept ONE dollar. This changed the odds of winning DRAMATICALLY in my favor. They believe that once a person is in the casino, they will continue and eventually lose a Hundred Dollars or whatever... However, if you just WALKED OUT AFTER THAT ONE LUCKY BUCK BET the odds said you were likely to be a winner. I used all the coupons and on average I won $14.00... Then I went outside and Did something else with my time... take a walk in the woods, go swimming, see a movie, eat lunch (paid for by the Casino) or dance to the House Band... All of those Casinos had "Classic Rock" Bands that played for free in the Lounge... I usually bought a drink and relaxed...  

The Safeway store was within walking distance of Dad's Cabin and I remember shoplifting a Pint of Brandy in the middle of the night. Often... At 3 AM there were only two clerks and they were busy stocking the shelves. So I just walked in and put a bottle in my pocket and walked out. They never even noticed I was there... or if they did, they ignored me. Once, when I wanted to buy food, I had to shout loudly to get their attention so they could take my money at the checkout counter... 

My Family came up one time and they determined that I should go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. My Sister in Law Patti and I went to a tiny room behind a  Realtors Office that was very secluded and elegant... a truly wonderful location... I attended one meeting, determined that it was not for me and didn't go back until years later... BUT... Since I Had Gone Once, I knew where to go when I decided to stop drinking... Years later I returned to that Tahoe Meeting after I was Sober and had a few months in the program but it was closed at the time I went... so I distributed a handful of coins all over the dirt floor in front of the Hall, wrote a Thank You Note and Left... Frankly speaking, the First 12 Steps in the AA program make no sense to me but THE 13TH STEP got my attention. It is an unwritten step that says... If you don't drink you get to have sex with the other members. As with any organization of Adults, there is an unstoppable urge to merge. This Particular Organization recommends that members DO NOT have sex with each other because some members might take advantage of new members who are confused and in a delicate state of mind. However, a Million years of biology is... something that just happens... I grasped the concept that I had to make a choice between drinking and sex and... I Married a member and we stayed married for 17 years. NOT an unusual story.

Another time when I decided to quit drinking I walked from The Cabin to the Rim Trail. Just keep o heading uphill and eventually you get there... It's a long walk and there are no bars or liquor stores up there... 

I really enjoyed riding the bus around Northshore Lake Tahoe. There was no public transportation to Southshore so I never went there... Except, on time I rode the Greyhound to Southshore accidentally and had to hire a TAXI to get to Northshore. VERY EXPENSIVE... The correct way to get to Northshore is to ride the Greyhound to Truckee and take a local bus to Tahoe City. 

One time I was staying at the Cabin and the whole family went cross country skiing. That is a LOT of fun because it's just lie taking a walk in the woods except you can travel twice as far. Then you are going uphill, it takes as much effort as walking but when you are going downhill it takes ZERO effort. WHEE... I did not like downhill skiing because it is too dangerous and you go too fast... So I went ONCE at Mount Rose and then went to the Bar. Where I taught a German Man to sing the Song "Hound Dog Blues" by Hank Williams... ( also a hit song for George Thorogood.)

Another time we all went to a Musical Performance at Truckee High School. "Once Upon a Mattress" - pretty good fun!

Another time I was trying to get to Sparks Nevada and I stopped in Truckee to get gas for the Van. It was Very expensive and I filled the Tank for over $100... It was Friday night and the Town was Exploding with Drunk People and Live Rock Music in the Bars...  I had quit drinking by that time and so I felt uncomfortable being in that scene...

Another time I was trying to attend the BURNING MAN Festival near Reno and I was riding the Greyhound. So I went to an AA meeting in Reno in hopes of getting a ride from one of the members... I announce my desire during the meeting and EVERY PERSON recommended I not Go. They DID recommend  hat I go to an AA Convention at the Nugget in Sparks. So I rode the city bus to that hotel and had a great time. There was a rib cooking contest in front of the hotel with a LIVE BAND playing Janis Joplin and Grateful Dead songs. I went up after the show and asked where they were playing next and the said Hyatt Tahoe Incline. So I rode the bus there and saw them again at the casino. The stage overlooked the Craps and Blackjack tables... I really like Blackjack because if you play wisely, the odds are about even... That was a great band...

Autobiography: Some trips with my parents. 

We went to Banff/Lake Louis and visited the Fabulous Canadian Railroad Hotel. Mom and I wandered all over and got stuck out on a balcony... Why would they have a door that automatically locks? After much beating, someone let us in. Dad and I went searching for Bigfoot. We had binoculars and we walked along the Lake trail looking for signs of life. We DID see a lot of Big Horned Sheep. Way up on rocky mountains they jump around... Dad had a thing for Big Horned Sheep... I don't know why. Maybe it was his astrological sign, Saggitarious. The old goat. On another trip we went to Victoria and the Buchart Gardens. Dad stood on the road on the north end of town and said... "Look, There is Alaska!" We had Formal TEA. Every business in Canada has a Photo of the Queen on the wall... Queen of ENGLAND...

We also visited the East Coast of the USA and saw the Mystic Connecticut Sea Port, Yale university (I bought a Yale Sweatshirt) and Quebec. Dad made a point of speaking French to the Waitress at a Restaurant. We went to Washington, DC and saw the Smithsonian Castle. Everyone separated and wandered around on our own. I explored the ground floor and saw everything and then I explored it again... and again... at the last minute, I noticed that there was a Second floor that i missed entirely! But it was too late to see it because we were leaving. I was very disappointed and then years later I vowed to look at every room in every building at the Smithsonian. I lived near DC for 12 years and COMPLETELY Saw the Public part of that Museum. A friend of mine worked there and she told me that there was 90% of the Museums objects are IN THE STOREROOMS and not visible to the Public. For some unknown reason I never asked her for a Behind the scenes tour... We did go for special traveling shows like Chippendale's Dollhouse... furnished with scale models of Chippendale Furniture... And I saw all the IMAX movies at the Air and Space including the Japanese 3D animated film "We are Born of Stars" - and I heard a GAMELAN Orchestra playing in the New Wing of the National Art Gallery. Indonesian Bells and marimbas... Very good echo in that I M PEI designed building... All marble with sharp angles. I also saw a Mirrored House that we walked inside and experienced the infinite reflections. The Hirshorn had a Sculpture Garden with Rodin Metal Doors with people exploding out of them. There was also an Andy Warhol Movie of a woman's face projected on a mannequin... so she was three dimensional... and she just made "faces" showing different moods and emotions... Buckminster Fuller had a show of Tensegrities. Large sculptures using shiny aluminum beams held together by stretched wires... they formed freestanding tall pyramids. Sigmund Freud's SON did some very disturbing paintings. They looked like what I see when I look in a mirror while high on LSD. I Guess he was naturally tripping all the time. 

Dad took a two week vacation every year and we drove all over the West Camping at Parks. We saw all the classic places. Yosemite, Yellowstone, Mount Lassen, Zion, Glacier, Canadian Glacier, Grand Canyon... Cedar Breaks, Colorado. That was a very high elevation and My brother brought a air pressure gauge and he calculated the elevation using that Barometer. I guess there is some standard Math formula for determining Elevation... the air pressure gets weaker the higher you go until in outer space, it become zero... no air at all... 


We went to the Seattle Worlds Fair and rode the Monorail to the Space Needle. Rode the Bubbleator to the World of Tomorrow exhibit. "Step to the Rear of the Sphere." said the guide... 

We went to Carmel by the Sea and visited many quaint shops. Dad bought me a Tam O'Shanter that was in the Plaid of the Duff Clan. That's US!

Dad and I ate at John Steinbeck's Home... it's now a restaurant.

Mom Dad and I went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Fabulous! I ate some magic mushrooms and wandered around on my own. Mom was rolling around in her wheelchair and some children were running around and making noise. Basically, elementary school students on a field trip with poor adult supervision. Mom got frightened and she had a bad experience of being unable to control children. Her lifetime of working at Schools, and being the ADULT IN CHARGE! was destroyed. After we got home she never left her house again. Basically, she said... I've already seen whatever the world has to offer and I choose to stay home where its safe. I did notice screaming kids... they were there but so what! We had to leave the Aquarium early and Dad was upset because Mom was freaking out.  At first, I tried to get her to leave the house but later I gave up because... It's her life and she can do what she wants. So she stayed home and suffered great pain in her legs from a unexplainable disease... So, Dad bought her Whiskey and gave it to her all day every day in order to kill the pain. Eventually she died from Cirrhosis of the Liver. It makes me sad to realize that her generation did not have the freedom to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes... They were brainwashed by the US Government to believe that grass is "The Devil's Weed." She might have lived for ten more years if she just smoked weed.  

READ MY COMPLETE AUTOBIOGRAPHY AT:
https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2018/03/growing-up-in-los-gatos-california-in.html

I've Never Been There in the Winter. 

However, You Get The Same View 

in the Summer from the Bar... 

That's Lake Tahoe in the Background...