Bear cubs in California are displaying an alarming affection for humans. Victims of brain encephalitis, their behavior seems cute, but it could cost them their lives. Some with the illness are lucky enough to be adopted by a wildlife refuge or zoo. The rest are euthanized because they

For some years, my beauty moisturizer has been petroleum jelly.  A woman on Facebook reacted in horror when she read my confession. Petroleum jelly clogged pores and had other negatives, she said. In reply, I sent her an article about the many dermatologists who approved of the produ

The Japanese have a notion in art called wabi-sabi.  It espouses the theory that because nature is transient and therefore imperfect, artists should incorporate imperfection in their pieces.  Sometimes that flaw may appear as a small asymmetry, a roughness in texture, or austerity i

I mentioned on Facebook recently that I’d been privileged to interview best-selling author, Anne Hillerman.  The daughter of Tony Hillerman, she picked up writing his popular Southwest Indian mysteries that featured detectives Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee.  This April, Anne Hillerman

For a year, I’ve searched for an agent to represent for my memoir, Getting Lost to Find Home. For the past two months, the manuscript has been under review with a London office.  A few days ago,  I emailed the agent to ask if the submission was still under review. As yet, I’ve r

Joe Biden, 46th President of the United States is a  mild-mannered man who shares Mr. Rogers’ temperament more than most in politics. But he’s not withheld criticism of those who refuse to wear masks in public places during the pandemic. He accused these offenders of  Neandertha

A recent article in Business Insider pit the brains of humans against whales and the whales won.   That was two hundred years ago when Sperm whales learned to avoid the fishermen’s harpoons by swimming against the wind that powered the schooners.  History records that out of  80

When I entered the second grade, my life fell apart.  World War 11 was raging.  My mother divorced my father and became a single parent–an immigrant with a modest command of  English and no job skills.  My father, angry, left us to fend for ourselves and that meant my mother

The young woman was standing on the curb a short distance from the grocery store, her shopping cart overflowing with purchases. She was muttering to the air in angry tones, so I intended to skirt around her, presuming she was one of the mentally ill who inhabits our streets. Something

Here’s the overwhelming question.  How can a combination of amino acids write a symphony or join the Republican party or commit stock fraud or feel patriotism for a section of the earth which is, itself, no more than a combination of amino acids?  (“Science reveals the code of t