Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
The Correct Response to a Sneeze
What is your favorite response to a sneeze? Many reflexively say “Gesundheit” without even knowing what this word means. According to An Uncommon History of Common Things (National Geographic, 2009, p 73), this is German for “healthiness” or “good health”. (It can also be used as a drinking salute.) Many other cultures have their own
Woman Pioneer — Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell
This month, February 3rd to be exact, marks the anniversary of the first woman to graduate from medical school. Her name was Elizabeth Blackwell, and she was born in Bristol, England in 1821. Dr. Blackwell wrote in her book Pioneer Work in Opening the Medical Profession to Women (1895) that she was initially repelled by the
Collecting — We Aren’t the Only Ones
A few years back, I had the privilege of writing for my favoite Disney website. LaughingPlace.com (http://www.laughingplace.com/). Recently I happened to think of those old columns, and have decided to share one today. This originally ran on April 28, 2004, and offers some thoughts on collecting in general. By the way, the NFFC is now the
A Poem About Happiness
I haven’t posted any poetry for a while, but this seemed appropriate for a cold, winter day. Bringing Happiness Randall lives a frustrating life, he never seems too pleased. Something is so terribly wrong, He’s certainly not at ease. “My status should be higher,” he says without a grin. “The good life should be within
I Missed Valentine’s Day
I’ve been traveling and haven’t posted anything lately, but Sunday was Valentine’s Day. For anyone wondering how such a holiday originated, The Writer’s Almanac posted an excellent explanation of its origins. Today is Valentine’s Day, a big day for greeting card and candy sales, which goes back more than 1,500 years to the Feast
Zombies in Space?
I was surprised to hear that scientists consider our Milky Way galaxy to be a zombie. Apparently it has stopped forming new stars and so its days are numbered. But don’t worry, it will be hanging on for quite a while. Galaxies apparently “perish” – in other words, they stop turning gas into new stars –
If You Really Want to Recycle…
What can be recycled? There is a company that thinks almost anything can. It’s called TerraCycle, and it offers free recycling programs that are funded by brands, manufacturers, and retailers to help people collect and recycle especially difficult waste. Participants choose the programs they would like to join, collect the items to be recycled, download free shipping labels, and send the waste
Another Way to Get Help
Social networking has had a huge impact on our lives, from keeping in touch with old friends to finding a ride or a place to stay for the evening. I’ve just found another impact — a website called HelpfulPeeps, “The Helpful Network” (http://www.helpfulpeeps.com/). The idea, which came from Great Britain by the way, is very
Can Internet Trolls Be Reformed?
Anyone who is an experienced Internet user has probably encountered a troll — someone who, by Wikipedia’s definition “sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an
Gender Pay Gap Revisited
On Feburary 1st, I wrote about a podcast that examined the gender pay gap. So ladies, have you ever wondered how much would you make if you were a man? I’ve just found “Pay Gap Calculator” that might help answer that question. It also further discusses the subject of gender pay. I tried it as