Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
Happy Birthday to the Refrigerator
As hot as this summer has been, I through it would be appropriate to page homage to the refrigerator. According to The Writer’s Almanac, the first refrigerator was patented in the United States on August 8, 1899. Not that the idea of keeping food cold to preserve it was anything new. Before the ‘fridge, food
The History of Political Correctness
I can’t remember when I first heard the phrase “political correctness”. Certainly it has an unfortunate reputation now; I have a friend who equates it with original sin. But if you define it as being appropriate for the circumstances, political correctness goes back a long way. I’ve recently read a “Verbal Energy” column by
Where to Find Inspiration — A Postscript to The Hunger Games
One thing I’m learning is that inspiration can come from anywhere. Earlier I had reviewed The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had initially resisted reading what sounded like a gruesome concept, but found it to be a well-written, engaging story. How does an author develop a plotline like that? It so happens Ms. Collins’
How Egalitarian a Society Are We?
We like to have a positive view of ourselves and our country. But every so often we find something that jars us into rethinking our complacency. I just ran across a review a book with the rather shocking title White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by historian Nancy Isenberg. It proposes
A Great Time for Meteor Watching
If you haven’t heard, we’re in the peak period for the Perseid meteor shower. The shower was predicted to peak this morning, August 12th, but is continuing on Saturday morning, August 13th. Meteors are visible anywhere on Earth, but came best be seen in the Northern Hemisphere. For more information, visit EarthSky.org at http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower#outburst
My Olympic Moment — Finish of the Men’s Marathon
As the barricades came down and traffic was restored, Ken, Ellen and I said goodbye to the mile chief. We were off to the nine-mile mark, at the point where the course came back to follow the beach along Ocean Avenue. It was only about a mile and a half away. When we got there,
My Olympic Moment — The Start of the Men’s Marathon
The women’s marathon had been new territory. We all had been tentative and unsure. But the men’s marathon would be different. Everyone knew exactly what to expect. Also, we would be wide awake. The plan was about the same, only we allowed an extra hour for traffic. We shouldn’t have worried; we arrived at the
My Olympic Moment — Finish of the Women’s Marathon
Almost immediately, a truck appeared to begin collecting barricades. Traffic was flowing freely again within five minutes. Workmen appeared to reset gates and take down decorations. They would be needed again next Sunday for the Men’s Marathon. The marshals gathered for a round of self-congratulations and to wait for transportation back to the RAND Corporation.
My Olympic Moment — The Start of the Women’s Marathon
I didn’t sleep well last night. Maybe it was because I was getting up at 4 am, or because I was in a strange bed (I was at my friend Ken’s house to save travel time), or because I was going to help with the first women’s marathon in Olympic history. We were up and
My Olympic Moment — The Orientation Meeting, Part 2
When we reconvened one of the topics was — security. There were no, repeat no, anticipated security problems. None. The possibility was very remote. However, even though there will be security people, and one of the three radio nets will be reserved for security, they wanted race marshals who will be alert, intelligent, and capable