One of the secrets of the Allies’ victory in World War II was the ability to break our enemies’ codes. There were multiple heroes in this effort and they all make for exciting reading. But since this is a sensitive subject involving national security, many of the details have never been publicized. A good example
Based on a true event, this story is included in my book Stories Short and Strange, available at Amazon.com in paperback (https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Short-Strange-Bob-Welbaum/dp/B0874PCH2G/ref=sr_1_1?) and Kindle download (https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Short-Strange-Bob-Welbaum-ebook/dp/B0876GGCMG/ref=sr_1_6?), and on this website. When an object disappears from a toddler, what’s the most logical explanation? The Earring — An Original Story An earring was missing. The young mother
If you are afraid of spiders (technically that’s arachnophobia), you may want to stop reading now. There’s a lot to be afraid of. As of July 2019, at least 48,200 spider species and 120 spider families have been recorded. They come in a large range of sizes, from a body length of less than 0.015 inches, to tarantulas with body lengths
Searching for good news about 2020, I came across an interesting article, “Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2020 That May Lead To New Inventions” by Rachael Lallensack in the Smithsonian Magazine. This piece features animals with newly discovered special abilities that may be useful to us. The lessons come from many different sources, including suckerfish, flying
One of the rituals of a new year is to plan self improvement in the form of a resolution, then ultimately slip back into your former habits. There’s got to be a better way. Actually, there is. In an article entitled “How to Set Goals You’ll Actually Achieve,” Amanda Loudin lays out a plan to
What is your trigger point, the moment when you see a wrong and feel you just have to do something about it? For Dutch clothing designer Bas Timmer, it was in 2014 when a friend’s father succumbed to hypothermia after being unable to find adequate shelter. Bas had started his own outdoor, cold weather clothing line,
Mother Nature has this way of deflating our egos. Not only has a lowly virus been totally dominating our lives recently, but I’ve just read the most indestructible animal on Earth is an almost-as-lowly eight-legged segmented micro-animal named a tardigrade. Also more affectionately known as a water bear, tardigrades can survive for up to 30
From the “I Wish I’d Written That” Department — On December 29, 2020, The Writer’s Almanac (https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-writers-almanac?) reprinted one of the all-time great poems, Invictus by William Ernest Henley. This is painted on the wall of the in-school suspension classroom at the high school where I substitute teach. It’s a good way to end the
A strange story to end a strange year: If you have chronic pain and have tried massage to no avail, there is one type of massage you may consider. Or not. A small spa in Cairo, Egypt uses snakes, real snakes, to slither over patients’ backs and faces. The treatment begins very conventionally, with background
The end of the year is always a good time for reflection, and it’s the perfect time to note milestones and measure progress. As such, I’ve found a very unusual milestone in the history of our planet. The year 2020 saw the total weight of man-made materials overtake the weight of biomass made by Mother