News & Articles

Lost in Wonder

I came to an enjoyment of science late.  My grades in junior high and senior high school science classes were mediocre at best, and if there had been an emphasis on STEM during those years, none of my teachers would have put my name forward as a good candidate.  Many of my friends found math…

New News and Old News

Ukraine’s President Zelensky is worried. That might sound like the understatement of the year, given Putin’s invasion and destruction of his country.   But the worry I’m talking about is one that Zelensky expressed in a recent interview with NBC’s Richard Engel. President Zelensky is worried about you and me, average Americans. He is worried that our support for…

The Blame Game

I’m sure many readers have noticed that TV meteorologists often sound apologetic when they forecast approaching bad weather.  If there have been days and days of rain, weeks with insufficient rain, or bad weather expected for an upcoming holiday, meteorologists often adopt that “I’m so sorry” tone in their voices when they tell us that…

Micro-connections

With my wife and me both having compromised immunities, we have played it safe during the pandemic. In addition to receiving shots and both boosters, we still carry masks with us for situations that seem problematic. The pandemic has reminded me of something my elders said when I was young: “You can get used to…

For the Love of the Game

Perhaps we all have a favorite sport to participate in or watch as spectators.  For me, that sport is baseball, although my love happily includes softball.   Part of the beauty of baseball for me is the beauty of the playing surface itself.  I will never forget the first time my father took my brother and…

Dandelions

One of the tenets of Buddhism is that human beings find life frustrating because we see problems where no problems exist.  I was reminded of this bit of wisdom as my wife and I faced our annual springtime ritual of pulling weeds and digging up unwanted tree saplings from the garden and yard.  Buddhism would…