The woman in the silver SUV laid on her horn. And closed in on the bumper of the guy in front of her. She was exasperated by his not-one-mph-above-the-speed-limit pace. As they approached the next intersection, the light turned yellow. Instead of accelerating, the guy in front hit his brakes. The woman pulled onto the shoulder, absolutely committed to… Read more »
Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, the computer scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web, was recently asked what aspect of internet usage surprised him the most. His one-word answer? “Kittens.” Cats have gradually taken over our homes and our hearts. Within the past decade they have soared past dogs as America’s most common house pet, now taking lengthy naps in at… Read more »
What is the meaning of life? The Greek philosopher Plato declared that the entire task of philosophy is melete thanatou: “mindfulness of death.” In 2006, medical journalist Dr. Timothy Johnson wrote, “The meaning of life is that it stops.” Not much has changed during the past 2400 years. Mortality rates are holding steady at 100%. For the past six months,… Read more »
Viruses can definitely mess up your summer. In the summer of 1981, Chris – a nine-year-old resident of Grand Saline, Texas – got the news that he had mononucleosis. In a heartbeat, all of the outdoor activities that make life worth living for nine-year-boys – baseball games, fishing trips, bike rides – were declared off-limits. Chris would need to lay low. … Read more »
When it comes to love relationships, our culture assumes that big moments are a big deal. That’s what we see on the screen. Humphrey Bogart tenderly wraps his arms around a weepy Ingrid Bergman and she surrenders her heart. A real man ought to embrace his woman while they lie together in the pounding surf, or boldly declare, “Nobody puts… Read more »
Even though Harry Houdini has been gone almost 100 years, people continue to tell stories associated with his legendary career as a magician and escape artist. One of the most spectacular of those stories is connected to his 1903 visit to Russia. During the course of a private performance in the Kremlin, Houdini asked each member of the royal family… Read more »
Yitzhak Perlman has enjoyed a lifelong love affair with the violin. The native Israeli was first drawn to its sound at age three, when he was captivated by a classical music performance on the radio. Denied admission to a musical conservatory because he was too small to hold a real instrument, he nonetheless taught himself to play the violin by using a toy fiddle…. Read more »
Nineteen years ago today, America was rocked by the worst terror attacks in our nation’s history. Observers felt a mixture of shock and horror. Even after two decades, the tragedy still feels raw. A handful of others, cynically, saw an opportunity. What if the catastrophic crumbling of the World Trade Center towers provided the perfect cover for faking… Read more »
Carl Lentz calls it the Deserted Island Challenge. The lead pastor of Hillsong Church in New York City admits that while boarding airplanes he sometimes fantasizes what it would be like if the jet went down near an uninhabited piece of real estate in the middle of some ocean. What would it take to inspire the survivors with hope? With… Read more »
Jackie Chan is famous for doing his own stunts. The Hong Kong native, whose six-decades-long career has included more than 150 movies, was considered the heir apparent to Bruce Lee when the legendary Kung Fu master died at the height of his fame in 1973. Film studios expected that Chan’s own brilliance would quickly transform him into a star. … Read more »
