Here’s how things look on Market Street these days.
And here’s how things looked a couple years back:
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“Milo is masterful but corrupt, parlaying his position as mess officer (in charge of the dining hall) into personal direction of M & M Enterprises, controlling all sorts of goods and services, from fresh eggs to prostitutes. Before long, his business is international; planes arrive daily from such markets as Liberia, London, and Karachi. He deals with everyone except the Russians, eschewing their trade because they are Communists. Nonetheless, he has no problem doing business with America’s primary European enemy, Nazi Germany. Milo even profits from specific battles. When the Allies plan to bomb a highway bridge at Orvieto, Milo arranges to conduct the attack for them. But he also agrees with the Germans to defend the same bridge with antiaircraft fire, bargaining for cost plus six percent from each side, plus a “merit bonus” of $1,000 from the Germans for each plane shot down. Having arranged all the details, Milo has no trouble convincing both sides to furnish their own men and equipment. He thus makes a nice profit by signing his name twice.”