I didn’t write this, but I wish I had. I used to write for a website called Helium, where aspiring writers could post pieces and rate each other’s work. Helium has since closed down as a writing site and someone else owns the address, but this was so good an essay that I saved it.
Do you have a pet that does really clever things? I haven’t had pets since I was a child. But I can appreciate people’s pride in their pets because I have seen some pretty smart animals myself. But in my case, the animals were wild, or at least semi-wild. From squirrels who raid bird feeders
Sometimes greed is a greater enemy than an opposing army. In late April 1865, the American Civil War was over and no soldiers were more eager to return home than released prisoners of war. Thus Camp Fisk, on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, was a beehive of activity. Camp Fisk had been established for the
The Nazis have just invaded your country and your life is in danger because you have two Nobel prizes you are safeguarding for friends — one is Jewish and the other is an opponent of National Socialism. What do you do? That was the dilemma faced by Niels Bohr in 1940 when Germany occupied Copenhagen,
Like many other people, I consider our national park system to be a national treasure. Whenever I travel, I try to visit as many as I can, especially if there is an historical angle. My most ambitious adventure was when I was driving through Utah and visited Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park,
From the May 1st edition of The Writer’s Almanac — “On this date [May 1st] in 1840, the first official adhesive postage stamp was issued in Great Britain. Up until the late 1830s, the recipient of the letter was supposed to pay upon delivery. Rates were inconsistent: postage was calculated based on number of sheets of paper, and the distance
Here are some practical tips on collecting autographs from my days as an editor in the collectibles business. Who wouldn’t like to have a memento from their favorite movie star or sports hero? But the problem with collecting everyday items is verifying authenticity. If someone claims to have a shirt that once belonged to Elvis, how
I’m in the middle of a long-term substitute teaching job — six out of seven weeks, and it’s reminding me about all the little irritants that come with teaching. I’m not talking discipline. I’ve had discipline problems in the past, and there are none in the five classes I have in this current job. I’m
The Library of Congress was established on April 24, 1800. It was originally founded to provide a legislative library for members of Congress. In just over a decade, the collection had grown to over 3000 books. There was a major setback during the War of 1812 when the invading British burned the Capitol building and the
I know there are some people who simply don’t trust science. And there are times when mistrust is warranted. Remember cold fusion? Of course, there have also been outlandish-sounding theories that have turned out to be correct, like continental drift. That’s why there is the scientific method and research needs to be replicated multiple times