Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
Are You Ready For Some Good News?
During this political silly season, it’s easy to think this country is in serious trouble, that we’re not great anymore, that we have serious problems, especially with crime and race relations. Well, I lived through the 1960s and 1970s, which means I saw firsthand the civil rights struggles and the Vietnam protests, and anecdotally I
The Post-American World?
From the “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover” department — Awhile back I received an email from a conservative friend with a picture of President Obama getting off Air Force One with a book under his arm. You could just read the title: The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria. Apparently my friend was offended
Some Thoughts on Travel
For the third time in about a year, I’ve been able to take a trip overseas (the reason why I haven’t posted anything lately). This occasion was a half marathon at Disneyland Paris and, since I’ve been there multiple times, involved no real sightseeing. But I learn a lot about the world with every adventure,
Testing the Five-Second Rule
You’ve probably heard that if you drop a piece of food on the floor and pick it up within five seconds, it’s okay to eat because germs hadn’t had enough time to get to it. (Personally I’ve always used a three-second rule, with a five-second corollary for chocolate.) Is this true? Scientists are actually beginning
Our World is Being Altered by Earthworms
You don’t have to be big or technologically sophisticated to alter the environment. Recently I ran across a science piece about the impact of earthworms in North American forests. I have always thought earthworms were good — they aerate and enrich the soil. But according to a new study published September 3, 2016 in the
Unsung Role Models — Ruth Shellhorn
If anyone is looking for a female role model, I have a suggestion — Ruth Shellhorn. Ruth Patricia Shellhorn was born in Los Angeles, CA on September 21, 1909, to parents who valued education and encouraged their daughter to develop her interests. So Ruth grew up believing she could enter any field she wanted and,
How Important is Art Education?
When schools have budget shortfalls, one of the first programs to be cut is art. Granted, art is not as critical as reading at grade level, but it still is important. How important? A struggling school in a tough neighborhood of Bridgeport, Connecticut credits music, dance and painting for a significant academic improvement. Not that
The Ins and Outs of Donation Bins
You’ve seen them in parking lots — donation bins. It’s a great way to dispose of old clothes. Especially with the holidays coming up, it’s also a good way to donate to charity. Or is it? The BBB Wise Giving Alliance, an organization that rates charities (http://www.give.org/), has some useful information in the cover story
Football and Justice
I know crazy things can happen during football season, but this study really surprised me — Two economists at Louisiana State University (LSU) have analyzed juvenile court decisions made between 1996 and 2012. They found that for judges who attended LSU as undergraduates, a football loss led to disproportionately stiffer sentences. If the loss was
Happy Birthday, Tarzan
A belated birthday greeting to Tarzan, who debuted on August 27, 1912 in the pages of All-Story Magazine. The title was Tarzan, King of the Apes, and the story was written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, who had failed at a whole list of occupations before he tried writing. His inspiration came from the pulp magazines