What would you think of someone who hasn’t showered in five years? Meet James Hamblin. He occasionally gets his hair wet, but some time ago he quit using soap (except on his hands), shampoo, antibiotic deodorants, and similar personal-care products. And he hasn’t showered in five years. He doesn’t recommend this lifestyle for everyone, but
When I got back from running Thursday afternoon, I had a voice message from the high school. They needed a substitute teacher for special-needs classes. I’ve been so bored I was happy to take the job. The students I had today were functional special needs. They’re attending half-days, one group in the morning and one
In August 2019, I announced the publication of a story about a girl and a very special doll. One story has led to three, and now all three are available at at this website by clicking on the link in the heading. They are also available on Amazon.com in multiple formats — Kindle downloads ($1.99
On July 7th, I first wrote about how all lives should matter, but they never have, illustrating my point by listing six instances of massacres of Black communities in this country between 1898 and 1923 (https://www.bobwelbaum-author.com/all-lives-should-matter/). Today, I’m making the point that systemic racism wasn’t always violent, but has been part of the fabric of
I’m sure you know Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press with moveable type in Mainz, Germany in the 1450s. But who brought the printing press to England? Credit is given to William Caxton, who was born sometime between 1415 and 1424, most likely in Kent, England. His career path was set when he was apprenticed
Joe Biden has decided to run for President with a woman, Kamala Harris. I remember when John McCain picked Sarah Palin in 2008 as his running mate, and when Walter Mondale selected Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. You may have thought of these women as ground-breakers in national politics. But no, it goes back further than
Are we in a recession? The classic definition is “a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.” (Google) Certainly the GDP falling by a heart-stopping 9.5 percent in the second quarter of 2020 got everyone’s attention. But what
I’m sure you know of Betsy Ross, credited with making the first U.S. flag (https://www.ushistory.org/betsy/) and you may have heard about Molly Pitcher and the Battle of Monmouth (https://www.ushistory.org/Valleyforge/youasked/070.htm), but what else do you know about women and the Revolutionary War? In another example of history not making it into most history books, women played
Studying wildlife can sound exciting, but the truth is there’s a large element of unpredictability. Like when a bird runs up your phone bill. Researchers from the R.R.R. Conservation Network have been tracking the migration routes of 13 endangered steppe eagles since 2015 in an effort to refine conservation efforts. They thought they had a
I know that’s an old joke, but I thought of it while reading about how August 8 was the 135th anniversary of Ulysses S. Grant’s funeral. With all the talk about the statues of Confederate generals, I thought General Grant should have equal time. According to the print edition of The Writer’s Almanac (http://www.garrisonkeillor.com/radio/twa-the-writers-almanac-for-august-8-2020/): His