Here is Jessica Grose’s review of Alissa Nutting’s novel about a female predator extraordinaire Alissa Nutting’s ‘Tampa’ takes inspiration from true-crime stories of seductive teachers and their teen conquests to craft the tale of an all-American sociopath. Read More
There’s something I’d like to know
And I don’t want to make a fuss.
But the question keeps on nagging me
And answer it I must
When our furry little felines
look at us with those big round eyes
we can only put on our thinking caps
and do our best to surmise
the source of their motivation
and the source whence it comes
is it nothing but real true love
or a real bad case of manipulation?
Of course since we love them so much this point is moot
We like to think that kitty, so open and so cute
only seeks the good
and when he/she gives us that special look
can only do it for want
of love or food.
If there’s an answer to this question
where does this answer lie?
In the deepest places of our hearts
or in a laboratory?
For in the end this query involving our cats
– a query fair and just
is “do we look as cute and lovable to them
as they do to us?”
In Memoriam…Douglas Adams…March 11th, 2022, was the 21st anniversary of the death of the creator of Marvin the manic-depressive robot, Zaphod Beeblebrox and other unforgettable characters. Read More
“With the coming of coffee to Venice in 1615, the local clergy condemned it. The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. Before making a decision however, he decided to taste the beverage for himself. He found the drink so satisfying that he gave it Papal approval.”…A few facts and statistics about coffee Read More
Seven Quick Tips for Web Copywriters
1) Get into the zone. I had lots of trouble in college when it came to writing term papers. I actually stayed up all night once to write a three page paper! Finally I realized that you can’t agonize over each word. Focus your mind on your topic, block out those stray thoughts and let your writing flow. To use an analogy, most baseball games are won on singles and doubles – not home runs! Otherwise you may end up like the proverbial centipede who couldn’t move because it was too busy being aware of its legs.
2) Perspective, perspective, perspective…there is always some leeway of expression, even if you’re constrained to presenting a certain set of facts. Find the right opening sentence. That helps immensely.
3) Perfectionism doesn’t work. Don’t be a perfectionist. Go ahead and write the article without aiming for absolute perfection. Give yourself a time limit. Time permitting, write your first draft and then leave it alone for as long as possible. Then go back and go at it with a chainsaw, editorially speaking. At that point you don’t want to be shy about deleting. An excess of words is one of the most common flaws of nonfiction.
4) Think with your keyboard! Think while you write, not vice versa. This may be the key to it all. Your mind has a mind of its own, and it will be happily catalyzed your keystrokes if you’ll allow it to be. Getting into the zone works! Save your micromanagement for the last step, when you can go back and proofread your draft with the utmost attention to detail.
You can write both fast and well
5.) We’re in the Age of the Internet. You don’t have to forget about the quality content you are used to creating. Just streamline the packaging. That way you can enjoy a steady output of well written prose! In web copywriting, bullet-sized chunks of information work better than complex sentences.
6.) Practice makes perfect. Practice writing within severe time limits. Pretend you’re speed dating or playing chess by the clock.This article was written with one eye on the clock. Admittedly, I am interested in the topic of writing and have already written a few articles about it. If you’re writing about a topic which is new to you,it is especially helpful to make an outline first.
7.) Outlines help. For your average (300-500 words) article, list four or five main points before you begin to write. This will help you to organize your thoughts.
“We Are Stronger Than We Think”…a Prescription for America by Ted Unarce…in We Are Stronger Than We Think (watch video) by Ted Unarce, the causes and effects of the Great Recession are examined and solutions are suggested for repairing the damage done by this monster-sized economic downturn. Read More
Christopher Hitchens’ prescription for an ailing planet
When discussing Christopher Hitchens’ prescription – or more accurately, prescriptions – for an ailing planet – the uniqueness of the thinker and author is almost impossible to ignore. Christopher Hitchens was one of a kind. Read More
Vichy…on le reexamine…je suis né quelques annees apres le fin de la Deuxieme Guerre Mondiale. Comme beaucoup des Americains – surtout les Americains qui ont suivi les cours de francais – je suis fascine par l’histoire de le France pendant cette époque tellement complexe. Read More
I’d like to expound on a favorite topic
And that is all about
living in the tropics
with sun-kissed beaches
topped by palm fronds swaying
with aquamarine water dotted
with dolphins playing
with bikini clad women with derrieres sashaying
that is what
life’s all about
Otis Redding, aka the King of Soul Music, died in an airplane crash in Madison, Wisconsin in 1967 – on his way to a concert performance in that internationally renowned college town. Read More