Dark Matter in the Universe: How to Understand it in Layman’s Terms
This story came to the screen in 2024, as part of the Nova series. It was called Decoding the Universe: Cosmos. I had no idea what the story was about, but had always been interested in astrophysics. My four-year PhD was in space science: how cosmic rays from the sun travel to the earth. I … More “Dark Matter in the Universe: How to Understand it in Layman’s Terms”
What I Learned When They did a Hernia Repair Job on me
The folder on my desk says Presbyterian General Surgery Hernia. Inside it says I have an inguinal hernia on the right side. My first inguinal hernia was on the left side about 15 years ago. I suppose my body wanted to be symmetrical, ha!
Hernias form near the groin, near a tunnel called the inguinal … More “What I Learned When They did a Hernia Repair Job on me”
Don’t say These Things to a Person with ADHD
We begin by defining what ADHD is. Later, we switch to a person called Kim who has wrestled with ADHD all her life. She tells about the way ADHD has held her back, from Elementary school to Retirement.
Everyone knows someone who has ADHD. It stands for Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder. What does this mean(1)?1. … More “Don’t say These Things to a Person with ADHD”
Lost in a Coal Mine in Alabama
Perhaps the scariest adventure of my life occurred many years ago. It now seems like something out of a movie. But no, it happened in real life in the 1990s. I was working for Amoco in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the time. As a petroleum engineer, my area was coalbed methane which meant extracting gas from … More “Lost in a Coal Mine in Alabama”
Simplexity Numbers 5 and 6 – Valuable Tips for Living
Simplexity is a new word that means a simple concept, but one that may be complex to put into practice. Here are two new examples. Scroll down to the end to see a list of earlier simplexities.
Simplexity No 5. Be Careful.One gift that my father gave to me was, “Take care of yourself.” He … More “Simplexity Numbers 5 and 6 – Valuable Tips for Living”
The Ten Commandments are Sacred – but What if Another One was Added?
This week, I spent four nites sleeping in a hospital room, helping an elderly friend who had pneumonia which can be a killer. My friend is home now, recovering slowly. It was a week with a lot of prayer, intense stress, and it made me think about a previous blog I had written, which I … More “The Ten Commandments are Sacred – but What if Another One was Added?”
Arizona Missed the Great January Freeze, and We Were in Scottsdale!
Independence, Kansas, recorded 1F degree. And a couple from Minnesota said it was -25F degrees up there. In Dallas the streets were frozen. This was mid-January 2026. But in Scottsdale, Arizona, the temperature nearly every day of January reached 75 F degrees. We missed the Great Freeze, and were very thankful.
The country was the … More “Arizona Missed the Great January Freeze, and We Were in Scottsdale!”
The Eternal Message of Good King Wenceslas
The Message of Good King Wenceslas
One of my favorite Christmas Carols is called Good King Wenceslas. It was an English carol that appeared in my country when Australia was a British colony. Very popular carol in Australia. I always loved the story within the carol, which was written in 1853 by John Mason Neale, … More “The Eternal Message of Good King Wenceslas”
Christmas Letter for December 2025
I woke up last week, sat up in bed, peered out the window, and saw these balloons close up. Only in Albuquerque!
Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving was quiet this year. Independence, Kansas, was too quiet, so we ventured to a casino, run by the Osage tribe, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
There we enjoyed a good Thanksgiving dinner of … More “Christmas Letter for December 2025”
How Were Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed?
Encounters with Famous Scientists
It is not often that I have had the opportunity to meet renowned scientists. On one occasion, I met James Van Allen in Florida. He is known for discovering the Van Allen belts—regions of charged particles such as protons and electrons that encircle the earth. Van Allen designed a Geiger Counter … More “How Were Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed?”