Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
The Power of the Human Brain
What are the limits of the human brain? Although at times, mine seems pretty limited, some amazing feats of memory and cognition have been recorded over the years. For example, Daniel Paul Tammet, who was born on this day in London in 1979, holds the European record for reciting pi from memory. Recall that pi
What is the 2020 Word of the Year?
In keeping with the tradition of commemorating the past year in every way possible, what language milestone has been honored as the Word of the Year for 2020? Like everything else about this last trip around the sun, it gets messy. Dictionary.com honored (surprise!) pandemic (https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year/) — “…our choice was overwhelmingly clear. From our perspective
The Latest in Robotic Technology
I’ve been reading about this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), January 11-14. As with everything else these days, this edition was virtual, on-line only, but some interesting products were still showcased. It seems the trend toward robotics is continuing. I suppose it’s our lazy side that stimulates our fascination with robots. It’s nice to dream
Are You Looking For A Book?
From the “I Wish I Could Write Like That Department” — If all the social restrictions have gotten you down, one remedy is to read an entertaining book. Helpfully, the February 1/8 2021 issue of Time magazine includes a “Winter Survival Guide” with 11 books suggestions under the heading “Voices to Lighten the Mood” (page
Vaccine Diplomacy
COVID-19 has clearly become a world-wide challenge. To vanquish it will require a long-term commitment to a coordinated international effort. But so far, it seems many countries are prioritizing protecting their own populations before sharing vaccine doses and resources. This does not bode well for hundreds of millions of people living in the Third World.
Memories of an Inauguration
Today is another Presidential inauguration. These are always nostalgic for me because, as I posted four years ago, they remind me of the time I was in an inaugural parade. It was in January 1969, and at another turbulent time for our nation, although for an entirely different reason. Richard Nixon was the President-elect taking
Happy Birthday, Peter Mark Roget
As a writer with limited talent, I’ve come to depend upon my thesaurus for finding imaginative words. So I was interested to learn that today is the birthday of the man who started it all, Peter Mark Roget, who was born in London in 1779. According to The Writer’s Almanac (https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-writers-almanac?), Roget was a very
You Won’t Believe Your Eyes
As if today’s world hasn’t messed with your mind enough already, in late December 2020, the Neural Correlate Society announced the top designs in its annual Best Illusions contest. This year’s winner is a 3-D interpretation of a classic optical illusion, the Shröder Staircase. In the original, two-dimensional illusion, a series of zig-zagging parallelograms span a
Unsung Hero — Elizebeth S. Friedman
One of the secrets of the Allies’ victory in World War II was the ability to break our enemies’ codes. There were multiple heroes in this effort and they all make for exciting reading. But since this is a sensitive subject involving national security, many of the details have never been publicized. A good example
Original Story — The Earring
Based on a true event, this story is included in my book Stories Short and Strange, available at Amazon.com in paperback (https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Short-Strange-Bob-Welbaum/dp/B0874PCH2G/ref=sr_1_1?) and Kindle download (https://www.amazon.com/Stories-Short-Strange-Bob-Welbaum-ebook/dp/B0876GGCMG/ref=sr_1_6?), and on this website. When an object disappears from a toddler, what’s the most logical explanation? The Earring — An Original Story An earring was missing. The young mother