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Haunting Gone Wrong
On October 30, 2019 by ElyseThese days, the newspapers—er, Twitter feeds—are filled with articles about lost jobs, dying industries and the changing face of the 21st-century economy. But amidst the handwringing over what’s been lost and who’s been left behind, one suffering population has been largely invisible: ghosts. Recent centuries have not been kind to those whose primary job is
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A Sampler of Courage, Part 2
On September 4, 2019 by ElyseBefore reading, fortify yourself with Part 1. Already read it? Full speed ahead! Whether you’re a roaring lion or a scaredy cat, welcome back to our survey of courageous people we admire and/or hope we don’t have to emulate anytime soon. Allow me to introduce you to a man who checks both of the above
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A Sampler of Courage, Part 1
On August 21, 2019 by ElyseCourage, n. Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. – The Merriam-Webster Dictionary Courage—and the feats humanity achieves because of it—have been on my mind recently. In the face of fear and oftentimes, commonsense, we slay monsters, we venture into uncharted territory, and we rescue kittens from trees. Don’t
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Just What the Pediatrician Ordered
On June 26, 2019 by ElyseWhile I would no doubt enjoy living in an era that considers beer a health food and bread boxes a threat to public morality, when it comes to well-being and safety, the 21st century can’t be beat. Not only do we have cat memes, but we also benefit from modern medicine and robust public health
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The Pleasantest Prattler
On May 1, 2019 by ElysePolitics, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. – Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary, 1911 Ambrose Bierce—author, Civil War veteran and pre-muckraker—was one of the most influential journalists of his day, no doubt thanks in part to wit “so keen that it pierces
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You’ve Got Mail
On February 6, 2019 by ElyseHope your National Thank a Mail Carrier Day celebrations were first class! If you didn’t know this was a thing, perhaps your invitation was lost in the mail. In honor of this underrated holiday, I have for your reading pleasure an anecdote about a dead—that is to say, undeliverable—letter belonging to Henry Ward Beecher. If
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‘Til Death Do Us Part
On October 31, 2018 by ElyseMuch has been written about the divorce rate in the Western world, and psychologists and nosy relatives alike have spent many hours pondering its causes. Although science tells us criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling are the most reliable harbingers of a relationship’s end, not all doomed marriages die of natural causes. In fact, if the
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Seven Signs You’re Living the 19th Century Version of “The Hangover”
On August 22, 2018 by Elyse“I did what last night?” Most of us have asked this question after waking up, heads pounding and stomachs churning, following a night out. No judgement here. Thankfully, few have stories quite as epic as that portrayed in the popular 2009 film “The Hangover.” However, more than a century before four guys walked into a