The Value of A Penny

I watch CNN for news—although now five days running of Whitney Houston coverage is not news!—and I feel generally informed. And what I don't get from CNN, I get from scouring the Internet, or at least popping in and out of a few regular sites I like.

But still, I miss things. Events happen that pass completely outside of my radar, and I am surprised to learn of them months after the fact. Such is the case with NASA's launch of Curiosity, a new rover headed to Mars. It was launched successfully on November 26, and after an eight-month journey, it should land on its predetermined target. It will spend what amounts to two years for Earthlings studying the Mars environment, but what would amount to just a year for Martians, if there were such a thing.

I was intrigued by this story, which I only just read this past weekend—where was I on November 26, 2011? I was spending Thanksgiving with the in-laws, so I must not have heard the news that day. Well, better late than not at all, so here is my take on Curiosity, as it appears in today's edition of Small Town Newspaper.

And here is a snappy NASA-produced "trailer" about this massive project.

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Happy Birthday To...

Pope Leo IX (the Pope) JCF Bach (German composer) Jane Russell (of Gentlemen Prefer Blonds fame) Daniel Carter Beard (founder of the Boy Scouts of America) Jean-Paul Sartre (French philosopher) Maureen Stapleton (Academy Award winning actress) Mariette Hartley (who?) Prince William of Wales (the prince) but most importantly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 45 years ago today, I was born in Alabama in a small town on the banks of the Tennessee River. Yesterday, someone asked me if my family has any birthday traditions. The answer is no. My family never cared very much, but I do remember a few birthday highlights. I was given a birthday party in the back yard when I was ten years old. Two years later, my sister got married on my birthday, so I was just a bit overlooked, although I did get a stuffed animal--it was a white Yorkshire terrier with an AM radio in its stomach. When I turned 20, a different sister took me to an outdoor performance of Dvorak's New World Sympho...

You Just Never Know

This newspaper gig has brought some interesting things. Because of it, I have met all kinds of people and learned all kinds of things. I have interviewed a potter, a stained glass artist, a horse barn owner, Guatemalan immigrants, winery operators and a woman with two uteruses. That last one may seem odd, but she's one of the few women in the world who has given birth to surviving twins, each developing in its own womb (you can see the adorable kids and read the article here ). I have learned about antique steamer trunks, dandelion wine, the history of steel drums and that people in Papua New Guinea are being evacuated from their island because of rising sea levels. I've read books on the repercussions of factory farming, and I've researched childhood obesity—did you know that Ohio ranks 17th on a list of US states in order of weight? Yet, someone in my own town would comment online suggesting we leave our poor kids alone. The other day I was in a court room to cover a case...

Everybody Needs A Little Crème Brûlée

I went out to dinner with some friends the other evening and ordered crème brûlée for dessert. It was lovely—crispy sugar crust and creamy custard underneath. I'm a bit of crème brûlée fan and order it more often than I order any other restaurant dessert, which is not to say I always order dessert—only now and then. On my way home, I remembered I had a crème brûlée kit at home with ramekins, a torch, and a basic recipe. I love the torch. So, now I have made my favorite dessert at home, and I recommend that everyone have crème brûlée. It makes the world better. I used the recipe on the box, which was simple and basic. My only suggestion for improvement is to use less sugar for the caramelized crust. It was so thick, it was like chipping away at glass. An ice pick would have come in handy, or a diamond. Other recipes suggest 1/4 cup to be divided among six ramekins, making just over 1 tablespoon per serving. Crème Brûlée serves 4 1 cup heavy cream 2 extra large egg yolks (I used 3 re...

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