The Daily Feather — A Straight Story

In July 1994, Alvin Straight left his hometown of Laurens, Iowa, and began the 240-mile journey to Blue River, Wisconsin, to see his brother who had just suffered a stroke. At the time, Alvin was 73 and had no driver’s license, so he took the one mode of transportation he had available: a John Deere riding lawn mower. Towing a jury-rigged trailer filled with food and supplies, Straight kept to highway shoulders, creeping along at less than ten miles per hour. The trip was not without hiccups. At one point, the mower broke down and required repairs, while at another he ran out of money and had to wait for his next Social Security check. But the stubborn Straight was undeterred, eventually making it to his brother’s house after more than a month. The adventure inspired the wonderful 1999 film The Straight Story, starring Hollywood veterans Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, and Harry Dean Stanton.

The Philadelphia Fed’s April Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey crossed the wires this past Thursday morning, and the story behind the data was as straightforward as it comes: No Bueno. Responses to the survey were collected from April 7-14, in the aftermath of the White House’s initial “Liberation Day” announcement and the manic adjustments to the policy that followed. Philly firms made clear their preference to wait out the current uncertainty.