Curations from the Human Jungle
[Back when I was more of a full-time writer, I asked Dave Barry to write a blurb, or endorsement, for my book on beer. A burb has no commercial value, but is more like a professional courtesy, extended colleague-to-colleague. Dave was prompt, generous, and eloquent when he responded with a postcard with a single word,... Continue Reading →
[STORY OF MY LIFE!! I will leave this vale of tears fully confident that some day, somewhere, someone in the world will recognize my significance. Won't they? Won't they? SB SM] https://graboyes.substack.com/p/when-fame-comes-very-very-late When Fame Comes Very, Very Late Musicians who caught their tailwinds late in their lives or after their lives Robert F. Graboyes May... Continue Reading →
[A few years ago I read a book called "Beaverland" by Leila Philip that opened my eyes to the complex world of these interesting rodents. At the time we had an industrious beaver constructing a dam on nearby Gilead Brook, so we were able to witness the engineering tour de forces of which they are... Continue Reading →
[In April, 1968 golfer Roberto De Vincenzo, lost The Master's golf tournament when he signed an incorrect scorecard. When informed of his mistake, De Vincenzo coined the classic phrase that I have invoked many times in my life. SB SM] Today's encore selection -- from Brilliant Blunders by Mario Livio. A blunder by the world’s greatest chemist,... Continue Reading →
[Another of those items to file away for when you are fianlly selected as a contestant on Jeopardy! (Making you a Jeopardian.) SB SM] Demonyms, or the names that identify your place of origin, can be tricky. In the United States, some demonyms have an official status —those of states, for example—while others are a... Continue Reading →
[One of my favorite subscriptions is The Browser. Every few days I receive something in my Inbox that gives a brief desciption and access information for a piece of writing or a video that they recommend. I pick up a lot of my best ideas from them. Become a subscriber! You'll get a lot of... Continue Reading →
[Remember Shaggy Dog stories? You don't hear them any more. They don't work on TikTok. For those of you who never stayed awake until 3 am in a college dorm room with four other people doing absolutely nothing other than wasting each others' time, a shaggy dog story is an anecdote that goes on for... Continue Reading →
[We dedicate today's post to Michael Cohen, Rudy Giuliani, Bill Barr, Pam Bondi, Todd Blanche, and all the others who have accepted money to defend our President. (Apologies to the hardworking, scrupulously honest Silverback barristers in The Jungle.) SB SM] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8_3jS9wd9w I am dying LAUGHING!!! HOW DO COURT RECORDERS KEEP STRAIGHT FACES???? These are from... Continue Reading →
The Outside Story Spring’s Late Riser: The Meadow Jumping Mouse By Loren Merrill Spring is often portrayed as the season of rebirth, and for many organisms it is. But spring is also the season of reawakening for those species that spend the winter in some form of hibernation or reduced metabolic activity. We have reached... Continue Reading →
[Everyone loves a story about the crazy genius who does remarkable things. "I Build the Tower" is a documentary film made by a college classmate. Initially, I thought this too fantastic and fanciful to be real. Now, it's on my bucket list. SB SM] https://vimeo.com/631488045/dc7d31ff23?&login=true#_=_ For more about the film and how to stream and... Continue Reading →