Bizarre
« Previous EntriesMoo
Monday, August 9th, 2010The Los Angeles Times recently ran on their website a photo essay about strange roadside artwork. Looking through the entries, I mentally time-warped to a road trip I took for the Pentecostal Evangel in 2004 and one such “work of art” I saw along the way.
Small-town churches were our cover theme for the Oct. 10 issue that year, and […]
Slurrr-mack!!
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010That’s the sound I imagine a giant palm salamander’s tongue makes when it impacts a juicy bug. Turns out, according to recent research, that this Central American critter’s tongue holds the record for most powerful muscular response—18,000 watts per kilogram of muscle. That translates to 24 horsepower per kilogram according to one online calculator!
The Book of […]
Ticktock
Friday, June 11th, 2010I wear cheap watches. The watch I’ve strapped on today is so cheap that the manufacturer does not wish to be identified. But there are plenty of bold announcements stenciled across its durable plastic surfaces to reassure me my investment is not in vain.
It is a SPORT model, it proclaims across the top of the […]
Virus Alert
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010Earlier this week on my way to work, I heard a news item on NPR about a vaccine for the Ebola virus. The report was optimistic, explaining that the vaccine appeared to be effective even against a new strain of the disease.
That sounded good to me. I don’t think I’m at any great risk of […]
Air Guns
Thursday, May 13th, 2010If you’ve ever owned a BB gun, you’ve probably heard some version of the infamous warning, “You’ll shoot your eye out.”
My first BB gun, a lever-action Daisy, came into my possession for Christmas in 1971. For several days I plinked at cans and other random targets on our West African mission compound. Then I aimed […]
Unschool
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010I wasn’t looking for another “Un-title,” but Jodie DVRd a segment from Good Morning America yesterday and played it for me last night after I got home from work.
“Unschool” is, believe it or not, a perfectly legal way to “educate” your child in a number of states. Once parents register with the state, they can […]
The Grass Withereth … and Amputateth
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010This spring, Austin and I have begun taking walks along a wooded path near our neighborhood. During our hike last night, I randomly reached out to break off a stalk of tall field grass. It randomly sliced the side of my index finger. That tiny cut is perfectly (or insidiously) positioned to pop open as […]
Cold
Friday, January 8th, 2010The bottom’s dropped out here in Springfield. Overnight temperatures are dipping below zero, with significant wind chills. Schools have been closed for two days because of the frigid conditions. The snow is sparse, but I felt like my face went glacial as I shoveled the thin layer […]
113 or 13 — It’s in God’s Hands
Friday, September 25th, 2009 Walter Breuning of Great Falls, Mont., turned 113 on Monday. He is the world’s oldest man.
Breuning has many memories of life in early-20th-century America. Kerosene lamps for lighting. Having to walk just about anywhere he needed to go. Simple, frugal meals, sometimes of bread crust when times […]
Blowing Smoke
Monday, September 14th, 2009I ran across an ad for an electronic cigarette today. This device and others like it allow users to “smoke” by inhaling a nicotine-laced vapor. The cigarettes are battery-powered and even have a little orange light on the end to create the glow smokers expect with each inhalation. […]
« Previous Entries