Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
Migrants and Europe’s Aging Population
With all the talk about immigration concerns in this country, I ran across an interesting article on The Christian Science Monitor website entitled “Could Embracing Migrants Help Solve Italian Villages’ Aging Problem?” (http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2016/1030/Could-embracing-migrants-help-solve-Italian-villages-aging-problem) In Italy, the birth rate is not high enough to prevent a shrinking population. This is especially true in Southern Italy’s villages,
How Much the President Really Matters, Part II
Earlier I had written about a Freakonomics podcast dealing with the power of the presidency. I’ve always thought that the Founders put so many checks and balances in our system, the president is actually pretty effectively constrained. This podcast, entitled “How Much Does the U.S. Presidency Really Matter?”, supported that view. ( http://freakonomics.com/podcast/much-president-really-matter-rebroadcast/ ) Now there
Why Songs Get Stuck in Your Head
As a Disneyana fan, having songs stuck in my head comes with the territory (it’s what kind of world after all?). I’ve always accepted it as part of my life. But now, thanks to some new research, there may be a scientific explanation. In a study published in the academic journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity
Moving Toward a Cashless Society
I’ve recently heard a radical idea: we should become a cashless society. The technology is pretty much here, with credit and debit cards, PayPal, and even Bitcoins. Other countries are moving in that direction. South Korea has established a goal of becoming a cashless society by 2020 (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2016/03/488_199146.html). India and the Scandinavian countries are also
Donald Trump as a Flawed Human Being — Some Thoughts
What makes a good novel? You need a hero, a villain, and a compelling story. And for the story to be really memorable, your hero needs some flaws. That’s why there is kryptonite in the Superman sagas; invincibility makes for a very boring read. Now translate that into the very real world of politics. As
Remembering the Unknown Soldiers on Veteran’s Day
I am a veteran. I normally don’t say that very often, because my military career didn’t always go as planned, and my war was Vietnam. But today is Veteran’s Day, and many who were far more heroic than I deserve recognition. This day is even more meaningful when you realize that on this day in
Can The Snooze Button Mess Up Your Mind?
Who hasn’t needed a little extra sleep? That’s why snooze buttons were invented. But what really happens if you push it? A recent post on the “Science of Us” website addresses this question. It cites a Wall Street Journal column by behavioral scientist Dan Ariely that reports using the snooze button (especially multiple times) doesn’t
Can You Be Allergic to Meat?
What if you were a real meat-lover, and one day, after decades of eating whatever you wanted, you suddenly developed what appeared to be an allergic reaction a few hours after eating a steak? Your family physician will tell you no, you’re wrong, you can’t be allergic to meat, it must be something else (or
Some Quotations About Elections
On the eve of this very important election, I thought it would be interesting to compile some memorable thoughts about tomorrow’s decisions — A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user. — Theodore Roosevelt A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won’t
Why Are Insects So Scary?
Insects are tiny creatures. So why are many people afraid of them? A recent article on the Science of Us website (http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/10/why-are-so-many-people-scared-of-bugs.html?) explores this phenomenon. There are several reasons for an elevated fear factor. First, insects can be really dangerous. The ones that bite or sting can cause real trouble, especially if an allergy is