The number of skills you had to master to be a pioneer in the American West staggers me.
That Pioneer Spirit
The Uncle, the Bomb, and the Beer Hall
My uncle nearly died in a bomb explosion during WWII. What's odd about that is that he was in Iowa at the time.
Battle for Birdland
Trivia question: Name the town on American soil that the Japanese occupied for almost a year during World War II. Yeah, I'd never heard of this one, either. The answer is Attu, Alaska, the western-most point of America, so far off the mainland that it's hard to believe it's really part of America. They have to seriously bend the... Continue Reading →
Braving the Canyon
All world explorers have great stories to tell - of braving the unknown, facing incredible odds, possibly never to return. Even the preparation for these journeys amazes me; I simply can't fathom how you even begin to pack for a trip that doesn't allow for stopping at a Wal-Mart when you realize you've forgotten something... Continue Reading →
Pretty, sexy, and smart
One misstep of modern feminism is that we keep trying to make women choose between being smart and being pretty; we've all but stopped acknowledging that someone can be both. I'd like to present a new role model for today's young ladies: Hedy Lamarr. If you're under 50, you've probably never heard of her, but... Continue Reading →
Leap Months
Tonight we're getting a leap second, though nobody will much notice it. Leap days are boring. But once upon a time there was a leap month ... England clung to the Julian calendar until 1752, when George II finally realized it made no sense to be on a completely different time scheme than all its... Continue Reading →
Gangstas of the 16th Century
Tycho Brahe has to be the most baller astronomer in history!
The Darkest Ages
The Dark Ages weren't really dark ... or were they?
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
When I was young, the legend of Roanoke captured my imagination. They spoke about it in school, in kids' history books, on shows like "Ripley's Believe It or Not." And there was such an air of mystery! If you need a refresher, Roanoke was Sir Walter Raleigh's first attempt to colonize the New World, and... Continue Reading →
Kimberly Van Ginkel 