September 2018

Nights of the Living Dead

I love a good zombie book, but what I love even more is a good short story collection. As a busy mom, homeschooler, writer and a bunch of other things, I often don't have time to read a full novel very quickly anymore (especially the 600-page doorstops that are published today), but I do have time for a satisfying story in between classes and events. I've always loved short stories, though, and the collection Nights of the Living Dead is sure to be a new favorite.

Teen Drinking Peaked in the 1980s

Many people recall the 1980s as a time of nostalgia and indulgence, when Saturday morning cartoons reigned supreme and there weren't "boy aisles" and "girl aisles" for toys. Although the 80s had their moments we remain wistful for today, they were far from perfect. From the Cold War to Reaganomics, yuppie culture and everything Christian Bale hated in American Psycho, there was plenty to dislike, including teen drinking.

Are UFOs Real?

Saying that UFOs aren't real based on no evidence is like people claiming that oxygen, narwhals and love itself aren't real because they can't see it. Most consipiracy theories hold a little truth to them at the very least, and it would make much more sense for other life to exist in a universe as large as ours, so when the former manager of the Department of Defense Aerospace Threat program confirmed that they are real, it seems pretty legit. 

The Blob That Came From the Sea

As complex as human beings, dolphins, whales and other intelligent life seem, it's hard for us to imagine what early life on this planet looked like. Single-celled organisms that we peeked at in biology class are likely the closest, and now we know that the earliest animal was pretty blobby. We might laugh at the movie monster The Blob, but in reality, maybe it was here before we were. Dubbed Dickinsonia, the creatures present some pretty interesting discoveries.

It's Pumpkin Season!

Some people hate when pumpkin spice everything, from Cheerios to coffee creamer, hits the shelves, but others love it and count down until pumpkin season like it's their birthday. There's even a meme that lists all of the months of the year until September, which is replaced with "Pumpkin," as is October and November! Pumpkins can be found nearly everywhere right now, and the question is: what will you do with yours?

Crafting Homemade Costumes

Halloween is only a month away. Are you costume ready? Crafting a costume is a fun way to prepare for the big event and it doesn't have to cost more than the scraps of fabric, hot glue or thread you've already got at home. In fact, costumes can often be made by just layering, pinning, and strategically placing items you already have on hand. If you don't enjoy sewing, for example, you can still craft this cute no-sew bumblebee costume.

I Believe Dr. Ford

Is it really that much of a stretch to imagine that a president who openly admits to groping women, peeping in at young women in beauty pageants and faces his own accusations of sexual violence might want to appoint a Supreme Court justice who's done similar acts in his own past? Brett Kavanaugh's behavior being chalked up as a youthful indiscretion, that "boys will be boys," is an outrageous problem in our society.

Yeah/Nope: The Fun Way to Test Your Friend Knowledge

How well we know ourselves is fodder for intense debate but how well we know our friends is fuel for one fun and funny party. For your next game night, you might want to give Yeah/Nope a try. It's a conversational game where you not only see how much you know about the people in your life but also learn more about them as you guess about whether or not your friends have ever told off a boss, given a cheesy pick-up line, been involved with a flash mob and many other experiences.

Nuclear Reactors 617 - U.S. Congress Passing Bills To Support Nuclear Power

       Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill called the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act (S. 97). This bill originated in the U.S. Senate. It will permit private companies in the nuclear industry to collaboration with U.S. National Laboratories to investigate advanced nuclear technologies.

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