Fergus Falls Review

16/06/2025

Today's post on science.

Here is the next in my series of confounding science questions. Question 10: Why can us ordinary schmos identify with Albert Einstein? Einstein is at the blackboard, trying to work out his world-famous equation. He's crossed out E = mc7, he's considering E = mc4, and he's tried c to the power of 3 a...

05/06/2025

Another post in the science series.

Here is the next entry in my series on science questions. It's icy cold, it's dark and distant, it's PLUTO, a planet (sort of) with powers far beyond those of any gas giant or terrestrial pipsqueak, including Earth. For Pluto is not merely a planet or dwarf planet, but a body that is INTERESTING, an...

02/06/2025

Here's my latest post on Confounding Questions in Science. It's not just Noah's Ark, it's Doctor Who and Star Trek and the Muppet Show!

Here is the latest installment in my series on science questions. I may think of myself as Science Boy (my secret identity, I have the letters "SB" and a test tube emblazoned on my cape.) But I have dabbled in fiction writing, and I can recognize a good story when I see it. Question 6:

29/05/2025

Here is the second entry in my series: Confounding Questions in Science.

Here is the second entry in this series. Let's get this out of the way: Albert Einstein was the pre-eminent genius physicist of the twentieth century, a man famous and exalted—and deservedly so—for his contributions to science.[1] But yes, he did come down on the wrong side of certain controvers...

27/05/2025

Here is an undeniably lengthy but hopefully interesting post about science, language, and the old Batman television series.

Here in 2025, the fate of the good ship U.S.S. United States has yet to be written, but the bad news is that we've struck the orange-tinted iceberg and have been taking on water on all decks. We are called to stand our ground and raise our voices in protest, but I also have heard

12/05/2025

Here's the post for the day!

Our evening on the town—Boston, specifically—was a big success. The baby sitter, recruited from care.com, proved to be as capable and competent as advertised, and not the scheming psychopath of darkest worry. At the restaurant, we dined outdoors in the amazingly gorgeous springtime weather. We e...

29/03/2025

Here is a post for today, written entirely on a northbound Amtrak train.

After all these years, I finally laid eyes on Yawgoo Valley. End prose. Begin pretentious analysis of the writing. Please consider the following few paragraph as if they were also written in italics. I like that opening sentence. It's full of promise, mildly intriguing, and inspires a host of useful...

15/10/2024

I posted the Lego Beatles back on this date in 2010 (says Facebook) so why not repeat it today?

https://youtu.be/_xUijgqZ-xM?feature=shared

I've been listening to a lot of Paul McCartney. Not so much the Beatles, but Paul fronting for Wings, circa mid-1970's, with all those organ chords and Linda on the tambourine. No idea why, Apparently the songs fill something that my brain needs or finds useful, especially at 10 or 11 PM at night.

With a little luck, we can work it out, and so on and so on.

I have had lots of good luck in my lifetime, as well as the other kind. Just what is luck? A favorable outcome that is not certain and not directly controllable by you, its recipient--that's one definition that trips off the computer keyboard. But, what is luck?

Here's to good luck for the next few weeks, up to Election Day and, alas, its immediate aftermath.

We Love Lego!!We Love Beatles!!This is my second stop motion worksLego Beatles plays "I Saw Her Standing There"Please enjoy♪Stopmotion movie and more!!　YOU-H...

08/10/2024

Here we are in the Days of Awe, or to be more precise for the moment, about 11:30 PM on one of the Nights of Awe. I'm spending the moment listening to classic Blondie songs on YouTube, getting publishing work done, sipping late night coffee, and trying to atone for various sins, some of which I seem to be completing at the same time.

"Picture this, a day in December. Picture this, freezing cold weather." (Hey, it's coming!)

For the upcoming wedding anniversary, I think I'll splurge not on the Big Basket of Flowers, but on some gourmet coffee. We deserve a change from the Aldi specials and the instant stuff.

For my upcoming birthday, we've got a dinner planned with Good Friends Whom We Haven't Seen in a While, and that likely will be Indian food, which I haven't had since that restaurant in Rochester with my son and his special person. I had flown from Minneapolis to O'Hare, then on to Akron to rent the car, then a few hours north and east up various freeways with stops to buy new shoes and an electric shaver, and then finally arriving in Rochester and dining at the Indian place. It's a helluva life.

Now it's the Tide is High, which was a big hit in its day.

I don't think God has a big book in which He scribbles the uncountable names. Nor do I think He's using seal-their-fate software or spreadsheets or what have you. Nevertheless, with so many Jews all over the world ascribing meaning to this particular time of the Lunar Calendar, I expect something is indeed going on. No idea what. I know a lot less than I even imagine I don't.

My father (who would not understand this post, nor ever listen to 70s synth-punk by choice) would do his best to find some common ground with me, the eldest son, and loyal son too in my day. David died about a year and a half ago, and it still seems a little raw and unsettling, since he was so very much alive for all but the last few of his 88 years. He packed his days with his medical career and solving crossword puzzle, playing the clarinet and skippering the sailboat, biking around the lakes and jetting off to Florida and Colorado and England and Ireland.

For those of you wondering, the last sentence of two paragraphs ago indeed makes no sense.

If I ever get to make the movie of my novel, I want Blondie on the soundtrack, as much as possible. The group spans the latter fourth of the twentieth century and well into the current one. The catalogue is a pastiche of styles but distinctively their own, as well as ripe for re-discovery by modern audiences. All of which fits "Fergus Falls" to a tee.

That's all for tonight. Thanks for tuning in. Please vote for Kamala and take a friend with you.

21/09/2024

In Star Wars, Darth Maul uses a double-headed light sabre to battle his Jedi adversaries. Here at home, my wife asks me to clean up the spilled cat litter with two vacuum cleaners.

19/09/2024

Three cheers for Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, and if (when!!!) Harris wins in November, then I expect these two will be high on the list to thank. But these latest polls are maddening, and I'm trying not to get too mad. The polls show a) people watched the debate, b) people thought Harris won, c) Trump is still getting about 47% of the vote.

It's not so much that Harris won the debate, it's that Trump was so clearly an angry old man, lying and making up s**t as usual, ever ready to rile up the masses with wacko claims about immigrants eating dogs and cats, and generally acting like the big jerk that he has proven himself to be time and time again. While Ms. Harris acted like....a U.S. President. But no, say the 47%, we think Trump will be better for the economy. Really? REALLY? What PLANET are you living on? There will be NO economy without a planet to support it, which is an argument to consider, isn't it?

OK, so be it. If a close nail-biter election is in store, then let's get every last Harris voter to the polls.

15/09/2024

It's time for another...

JOKE AT THE EXPENSE OF TRUMP.

Today's joke comes from Jimmy Fallon (I think--feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)

"So at the website for Kamala Harris, supporters can purchase friendship bracelets. In response, at the Trump website, you can can buy ankle collars."