Colossal: Historic stones, mirror images, bees in books and more

Filed under FYI

the transcontinental railroad -- 4/16/2026 April 16, 2026
Today's encore selection -- from Continental Reckoning by Elliott West. The most ambitious big U.S. government project of the nineteenth century was the transcontinental railroad: "No event in the West during these years commanded more public attention than the Pacific rail project. Journals and newspapers followed it in scores of articles, and few literary visitors […]
science in 1927 -- 4/15/2026 April 15, 2026
Today's selection -- from Science by Year by DK. Scientific breakthroughs in the year 1927: “The year started with a milestone in communication technology. On January 7, a collaboration between the American Telephone Company and Britain's General Post Office opened the first transatlantic telephone service. On its first day 31 calls were made between New […]

Recent Research Spreadsheets
Our students have compiled research in three topic areas. Below are the links to their research tables that can be downloaded for searching and viewing. For a state-by-state review of Mandatory Reporter laws, click here. For a state-by-state review of Background Check laws, click...
feigleycommunications
Legislative Drafting Students
Our students spend the summer working on the research project of the LDICP. Through their extensive research, massive databases of information on state statutes regarding the abuse of children have been created and will be posted here as their work is finalized. Here are...
feigleycommunications

Sunny Ann Starling, July 2, 1943 - January 6, 2023 January 10, 2023
All-American patriot, artist, designer, entrepreneur, flower arranger, chef, and joyful servant, Sunny Lou Starling, was carried on the wings of angels to the arms of her savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, January 6, 2023. She once said her mission was to “Gather and feed all you can, as often as you can, because you never know if […]
Unknown
WASP Final Flight February 28, 2022
WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish, 44-W-4"Failure isn't failure unless you let it be. It's simply a change in direction. Just count your many blessings move on. With God's help, anything is possible!"Deanie Bishop Parrish passed away peacefully in her home in Waco, Texas, on February 24, 2022, just one day shy of her 100th birthday. She met every challenge […]
Unknown

Four Fun Kodachrome Car Image Series No. 519 October 30, 2024
Editors Note: After posting over five thousand features and twenty five thousand images over the last thirteen years, the time has come to end posting weekly features here on The Old Motor. At this point, the site’s future hasn’t been decided, although it will remain online for the foreseeable future. There may be future updates...
David Greenlees
Four Fun Kodachrome Car Image Series No. 518 October 23, 2024
In this weekly series, we ask our readers to tell us the year, make, and model of all of these vehicles along with the location where the image was taken and anything else you find of interest in the photos. You can look back on all the earlier parts of this series here. The photos are via Americar....
David Greenlees

Shellubrication: 1950s June 28, 2025
From a discarded negative collection that belonged to a San Diego area barber. 120 format. View full size.
Cazzorla
Mill Town Aughts May 22, 2025
My great-grandfather was a Textile League ball player in the little mill village of Tucapau, South Carolina, in probably the late aughts. He didn't care what the mill job was as long as he could play on their team. The story in the family is that one of his upcountry cousins was also a Textile […]
hj808

Highway Lighthouse Ad April 10, 2026
In reply to Highway Lighthouse: 1926: These Roads are full of Studebakers Jos. McReynolds 14th at R Street
Dave
Object ID, please April 10, 2026
In reply to Grunge Garage: 1926: Against the far wall on the left, under those two raised doors, we see a piece of wood paneling laid along its long edge. Poking out from behind, to the right, I spy an object that looks like a chunky bicycle fork with a spoked wheel attached. Anyone know […]
davidk

Hungarian Wax Peppers October 18, 2024
Here’s an old Italian recipe for canning peppers, one of my husband’s favorites. Searching the internet, you’ll come across many variations — all probably good — but here’s a basic recipe to start you on your course. The kids and I canned these using the boiling method, though pressure canners might make the process easier. Not sure how, […]
gardenfrisk
Easy Microgreens June 13, 2023
Microgreens seem to be all the rage these days and for good reason: they are packed with nutrients and easy to grow! The USDA and University of Maryland found that leaves from microgreens had more nutrients than the mature leaves of the same plants. And great flavor. Plus, you don’t need a lot of space […]
gardenfrisk

Easy and Impressive Breakfast and Brunch Recipes to Feed a Crowd March 28, 2026
We’ve rounded up the most impressive breakfast and brunch recipes that are really (secretly) very easy to whip up for friends, family, and weekend company. From baked french toasts (that you can assemble the night before) to crowd-favorite honey fried chicken and waffles, you’ll have a happy crowd all around, guaranteed. 1 Baked Blueberry Lemon […]
Chungah
Eggs in Purgatory March 13, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details. An easy, rustic, one pan dish with eggs poached in a rich, savory, garlicky tomato sauce. Best served with all the crusty bread for dunking! Reasons to make eggs in purgatory What is “eggs in purgatory”? How is it different from shakshuka? […]
Chungah

Should veterans get a ‘second look’ at long prison sentences after military service? April 16, 2026
California allows veterans to petition courts to consider their military service under "second look" resentencing. Advocates say other states should, too. The post Should veterans get a ‘second look’ at long prison sentences after military service? appeared first on Task & Purpose.
Patty Nieberg
Congress pushes Army leaders for answers on ouster of top general April 16, 2026
Lawmakers are asking senior Army leaders what they know about the forced retirement of the service’s former chief of staff, Gen. Randy George. The post Congress pushes Army leaders for answers on ouster of top general appeared first on Task & Purpose.
Jeff Schogol

Adding a Bigger Inverter to Umarang April 15, 2026
Over the last few days, I worked on installing a Renogy 2000 Watt Pure Sign Wave Inverter in my motorhome: Umarang or Uma the VRRV.What is a inverter you ask? Well, it basically takes 12 volt DC electric power from the house battery and converts it to 110 Volt AC electric power. I stayed with […]
redlegsrides
A couple of Gatherings April 11, 2026
April 6-10We had a visit from Blazeourway's Lori and Chris Z. They were having some stuff done to the Bowen truck bed of their new camping rig.April 11There was a meeting of Uralisti up at the 300 Suns Brewery and Pub. I got there an hour too early due to a "senior moment" on my […]
redlegsrides

Idealists in My Family Tree February 9, 2026
My left-leaning roots run deep. My great-grandfather was a card-carrying Utopian Socialist. I even have documents to prove it. And …
Lorie Smith Schaefer
A Visit to Remember February 2, 2026
This heartfelt narrative captures the bond between a young boy and his grandfather, who struggles with memory loss. It highlights the boy’s efforts to connect through shared memories and simple moments, reminding us of the enduring love that transcends forgetfulness.
Lorie Smith Schaefer

Come Find Me At Substack! June 25, 2025
Hi all, I should have posted this a while ago—I’m now on Substack. I love the platform and respect and appreciate the company’s adherence to principles of free speech.You can find The Heart of the Matter—my ruminations on politics, geopolitics, and media, plus the odd book and movie review—here. My author newsletter—only about my new book […]
Barry Eisler
American Exception March 7, 2025
Wow.As Blade said in the eponymous movie, “The world you live in is just a sugar-coated topping. There is another world beneath it—the real world.”American Exception is about the real world.It is deeply researched, coherently presented, cogently argued. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll wonder how you ever could have believed that things are […]
Barry Eisler

Kashevaroff Mountain April 6, 2019
Long before we were a sailing family, Alisa and I were a young couple in love with adventuring in Alaska. The opportunity to introduce Eric and Elias to the delights of outdoor living in the Great Land was one of the big bright sides of our return to Alaska. Earlier this winter, the boys and […]
Letting go March 20, 2019
So...this beautiful island is our home. See the barky? The boys just had their spring break. A week off from school and nothing to keep us from buggering off in Galactic. The weather was generally poor - nothing like the pics above for the most part - so we just snuck off to the west […]

Back From the Dead, Off& On Wins a place on FeedSpot list of 60 best Parkinson’s Blogs March 29, 2026
If only life were normally this undemanding. I didn’t post anything in 2025, and here I find this blog at #30 on a List of the 60 top Parkinson’s blogs Web-wide, compiled by aggregator FeedSpot. This recognition of my awesome blogging skills suggests that the less I publish, the better my blog will be. So I probably […]
Peter Dunlap-Shohl
PDS on PBS II Cross post from "Frozen Grin" April 5, 2024
Here is a link to a story about my struggle to draw with Parkinson's Disease. the story is from "The Daily Cartoonist" a Web journal concerning the world of professional cartooning. It was occasioned by the release of the documentary "Matters of Mind, My Parkinson's" which follows three families and their efforts to cope […]
Peter Dunlap-Shohl

Identifying Devil’s Club Plant August 10, 2023
Devil’s Club is a common wild plant in Alaska that’s large & covered in hidden sharp thorns, growing everywhere from remote forests to even well-groomed Anchorage city trails. Just because you’re “in town” doesn’t mean you won’t run into devil’s club. It’s smart to stay on the trails, particularly if you’re not confident spotting it. […]
Ashley
Pumpkin BOO-berry Muffins (Fun Halloween Toddler Snacktivity!) October 21, 2022
Here’s a delicious fall-time spin on classic blueberry muffins. If you’re a solo adult who likes good food, this recipe is for you. Or if you’ve got extra kitchen “helpers” around (read: kids who need entertainment), turn baking these Halloween muffins into a fun toddler snacktivity. Pumpkin BOO-berry Muffin Recipe Ingredients: 2 boxes Jiffy brand […]
Ashley

"Home" vs. "Away" May 20, 2022
I’m home now. I’m looking at the flea market couch I brought up from California; I had cushions made three times over the years till I got it just right. Now it’s just right. It’s been in my life 42 years. Tim has been in my life 34 years, but he had to be out of […]
CloudyinAK
Goodbye, Toronto May 10, 2022
I’m saying my goodbyes to Toronto. I’ve seen my last Hot Docs Festival film, and I’m just back from my last author program. I’ve probably had my last roti, checked out my last book at my local branch library, gone to my last art workshop. Horror of horrors, I’ve even watched my last play. The thing […]
CloudyinAK

Malnourished launches today January 21, 2020
It’s here. The big day. My memoir, the one I spent 15 years struggling over, launches today from Raised Voice Press. I’m feeling very exposed, very vulnerable. This is not at all similar to when Dolls Behaving Badly launched from Hachette Book Group. That was a novel, and while some of it was based on… […]
cinthiaritchie
Book review: Secondhand Summer by Dan Walker December 1, 2019
I had had Alaska writer Dan Walker’s YA novel SECONDHAND SUMMER on my list for a long time, and two weeks ago finally had the chance to dive in. I wasn’t disappointed. Walker’s book, geared for middle school readers (but still immensely enjoyable for adults), follows 14-year-old Sam’s move to Anchorage from the small fishing… […]
cinthiaritchie

Sitka Nature Show #350 – Brie Drummond September 21, 2025
Download Radio Show The September 21st show featured a conversation with Brie Drummond, biologist with the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Her responsibilities include overseeing monitoring work on St. Lazaria island. We talked about the overall scope of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and more specifically the nesting seabirds of St. Lazaria. If you […]
matt goff
Sitka Nature Show #349 – Kitty LaBounty September 7, 2025
Download Radio Show The September 7th show featured a conversation with Kitty LaBounty. Kitty shared about the soon-to-be released field guide Mushrooms of Alaska, which Kitty had received an advanced copy of. (Released in October 2025, it should be available through your favorite book seller). We talked about mushroom ecology, identification, and our personal experiences […]
matt goff

Sandra’s Overnight Artisan 10" Cast Iron Soft Bread-No Knead March 2, 2024
INGREDIENTS3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon active yeast (not rapid or instant)1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt1-1/2 cups slightly warm water (tepid)--2 teaspoons canola oil (For top and bottom of dough ball so it doesn't stick or form crust while rising)-2 TB butter melted in ramekin, with brush (set aside)--10” Seasoned Cast Iron SkilletMETHODAdd flour to bowl. Add yeast […]
sandra
Sandra's Fresh Apple Pecan Cake (9x13") September 18, 2023
My husband loves this cakeso much he had two pieces 'after' eating lunch...Ingredients2 Eggs1 ½ cup Canola Oil2 cups Granulated Sugar3 cups A-P Flour2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg½ teaspoon Kosher Salt1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda4 cups Chopped Apples (peeled and cored): measure after chopping1 cup chopped Pecans: measure after chopping1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract⅔ […]
sandra