Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
Word Origins — Turquoise
English is full of interesting words. For example, the popular shade of blue known as turquoise comes from a French term that means “Turkish stone.” Some thought incorrectly that these stones all came from Turkey. While turquoise was in fact traded in Turkey, the true origin of these bluish gems was probably Iran or the
Fast Food and the Law of Unintended Consequences
What if you decided to rate all the fast-food restaurants in your city. How would that affect your diet? I recently listened to an interesting podcast about a woman in Louisville, KY who loved cheeseburgers. She decided to rate all the eating establishments in her area that serves cheeseburgers. But she’d also heard all the
Belated Thoughts on MLK Day
Has Martin Luther King, Jr. Day become just another holiday? I suppose it depends on one’s perspective. I’ve occasionally been asked about the civil-rights era when I substitute teach, and during the 1960s I was always on the sidelines. I grew up in an area that was almost exclusively white, and had no real exposure
Lottery Fever is Nothing New
Did you buy a Powerball ticket? I didn’t, because the odds were not in my favor, and I hate to wait in line anyway. The last time I bought a lottery ticket, I was bored at Kmart, so I decided to educate my neighbor’s children on the evils of gambling. I bought a dollar ticket
Some Thoughts on Immigration
I went to school in a small, almost rural township. There were 49 in my graduating class, and we went all 12+ years in the same building. And there were no minorities; we were amazingly homogeneous, all very white lower-to-middle class. Being a small school, teacher turnover was high. Each year would bring many new
When Henry Ford Paid a Living Wage
If you like obscure anniversaries, on January 5, 1914, Henry Ford announced he would start paying his workers $5 for an eight-hour workday, an increase from an average of $2.34 for a nine-hour workday. The resulting reaction was not what you might expect. Some thought he was crazy. The Wall Street Journal editorialized that he
How a Bill Becomes Law — a Poem
Today I have a guest author — my niece Stephanie Welbaum of Blacksburg, VA. From an Idea, to a Bill, to a Law by Stephanie Welbaum In the very beginning, it wasn’t so great Someone dropped me off so I was given a number, approved, then thrown in debate On the House floor I
Some Thoughts About Suffrage
Our democracy has come a long way since the early days of the republic. As a history nerd, I’ve always been curious about the voting requirements in other eras. I’ve always suspected there have been times when voting has been considered more of a privilege than a right. I’ve just found a historical note to
The Most Important Advancement in Human Evolution
In our rise to today’s modern, civilized world, which advance was the most important? Many think it was the use of tools, the discovery of controlled fire, or development of language. But a new book by neuroanthropologist John S. Allen argues our move out of the elements and into dwellings may have been the key.
Perspective — A Poem For Snow
It snowed today, the first time this winter. I have a poem for that. Perspective The son stood in the doorway, Behold a beautiful sight! As far as he could see, nothing but fluffy white! Today would be a time of laughter and play begun. And most important of all, no school would spoil