Stories Short and Strange
17 short stories for general audiences ranging from the unusual to the unbelievable to the just plain strange.
First Thought, Best Thought?
For the past twenty-plus years, I’ve met once a week with a group of friends to play “wargames.” Not running through the woods (I’m too old for that), but board games that are historical simulations. It can be tough to make a decision sometimes, especially if you know what really happened and you’re trying for
Will a Marriage Last?
How do you know if a marriage will last? This is definitely out of my area of expertise, but I’ve run across someone who has developed some signs to watch for. One neutral observer who spends a lot of time with the couple. A wedding photographer. A group of professional wedding photographers have compiled a
Are We Running Out Of Business Names?
If you’ve ever wanted to start a business, you have to pick a catchy name. But most of those have already been taken. In fact, most of the words you use every day are probably trademarked. The problem is outlined in an article entitled “Someone probably owns most of the things you say” by Janet Nguyen
How To Save Water Part 2
My last post highlighted water shortages, using Cape Town, South Africa as an example, and one agricultural solution being tried in Oklahoma. As a follow-up, the BBC has published a list of the eleven other cities most likely to run out of drinking water. If you’re wondering if you live in a vulnerable area, the
How To Save Water
Whenever I get a chance to teach social studies, I tell my students that sometime in their lifetimes there will be a war over water somewhere in the world. You’ve probably seen the stories about Cape Town, South Africa, and how their current water supply is measured in months. The latest projection is they will
Why Is Our Life Expectancy Dropping?
I just ran across a disturbing article — Life expectancy in the U.S. has dropped for the second year in a row. An editorial in the journal BMJ entitled “Failing Health of the U.S.” (http://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k496 ) considers this “alarming because life expectancy has risen for much of the past century in developed countries, including the
Someone to Admire — Rob Jones
Never underestimate the power of running. Rob Jones is a former Marine combat engineer who lost both legs to an explosion in Afghanistan. But what others would think was a handicap, he saw as an opportunity. First he and a partner won a bronze medal as rowers in the 2012 Paralympics, then went on to
This is Your Brain on Fresh Air
If you thought it was good to go outside to get some fresh air, there may be more to it than that. A new study claims that going outdoors actually changes the way your brain works, and not necessarily in a good way. According to Kyle Mathewson, an assistant professor of psychology at the University
Name Your Poison
Today I want to talk about one of the burning questions of our time. (And no, it’s not why we call it “cargo” when it goes by ship and “shipment” when it goes by car.) What is the difference between poison and venom? There actually is a difference. Basically, venom is injected and poison can
The Gatekeepers — My Next Read
Who really runs our government? Of course, there are the major actors. The president sets broad policy and makes major decisions, congressional leaders play a huge role, and one Supreme Court justice can change the course of history. Then there is the Federal Reserve. But there are many people in support roles who can make