Category Archives: Health

The Parable of the Man in the Cave

Suffa lived in his cave and every day he prayed that he might somehow win the house across from him. He imagined what it would be like living in a palace, looking out across the desert and even overlooking the … Continue reading

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An Island Overrun with Prisoners and Soldiers

When William Golding imagines his feral schoolboys in Lord of the Flies, he thinks that they will inevitably shed the shallow indoctrination of the arbitrary and recently acquired rules of polite society and fall back upon their baser instincts which … Continue reading

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Bugs on the Bus

I was on the bus one time when a bunch of teenagers got on and, because of crowding, they had to stand in the aisle. As soon as seats came open, they claimed them, and then called to their friend … Continue reading

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Typhoid Mary

The case of Typhoid Mary—a name she hated—is a peculiar one in the annals of public health. We had surely had carriers like her before, those who never suffered from an illness they inadvertently passed on, but she was the … Continue reading

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The Purpose of a Lie

When Joyce chose to lie to her daughter it was as if she’d forgotten the purpose of a lie. She was trying to cover up her crime with perfidy, but she didn’t realize that making the person you are lying … Continue reading

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The Myth of Narcissus

Many know the rough outlines of the original myth of Narcissus, the man who was so enamoured with his own image that he drowned while reaching for his reflection in a pool. The original outlines of the myth are more … Continue reading

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Pondering the Media During the 2022 Ottawa Trucker Convoy

The various media systems of the world are overworked, and in the case of many of them, underpaid. This is exposed by the request, below most online news stories, to report any errors. With editors in short supply, the news … Continue reading

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Cultural Covid

Now that Covid-19 has been with us for two years, its profound effects on the different societies of the planet are becoming more obvious. Relatively democratic societies, for all their flirtation with fascism, are descending into mob rule as unscrupulous … Continue reading

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Retirement

The first time I encountered the notion of retirement and pensions was nearly twenty years ago when I was working at Worcester State College. I had just been hired, and although they only intended to give me full time hours … Continue reading

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Nutrient on the History Channel Show Alone

A central preoccupation of the show Alone is, naturally enough, how to get enough food to stay alive. The show has featured survivors who have made deadfall traps to catch mice, eaten slugs, and relied on seaweed to keep themselves … Continue reading

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