by Melinda Snodgrass | Feb 1, 2015 | General
This morning I was doing my usual scroll through various news sites to see what was going on in the world, and I ran across Mike Huckabee opining on how he could have gay people as friends — big of him. I gather this was him moderating his position that the states had the right to ignore a Supreme Court ruling on same sex marriage. An issue that was settled by a little event called the Civil War. Then I read this statement: “And as a biblical issue, unless I get a new version of the...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Oct 17, 2014 | General
As I’ve mentioned here and on Facebook — I don’t mind spoilers. In fact they add to my enjoyment of a movie or book because it enables to examine the structure and pacing as the writer moves toward the climax. In fact there was a study that indicated spoilers actually added to people’s enjoyment. You can read about the research here in an article in Wired magazine — Spoilers Don’t Spoil Anything. I also think there is a point where accusing a person of...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Oct 10, 2014 | General
I’ve been watching the fight that has erupted between Sam Harris and Bill Maher and various pundits who consider their remarks on Islam to be bigotry. I can see points on both sides. To arbitrarily damn all members of a faith for what is written in their particular holy book is unfair. On the other hand there is an awful lot of very ugly stuff that’s written in virtually every holy book whether it be The Bible or The Koran. The question is whether the people who subscribe to a...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Sep 4, 2014 | General
A couple of weeks ago my dear friend George R.R. Martin underwent the Ice Bucket Challenge to combat ALS also know as Lou Gerig’s Disease. I lost my half brother John to this horrible disease when he was only 60. It attached his throat first so he was soon unable to eat, but he refused all extreme measures and faced death with a dignity that I hope I can emulate when my time comes. One of the hallmarks of the Ice Bucket Challenge is that you challenge others to take the cold dunk...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Aug 27, 2014 | General
Yesterday I flew home from Britain, and it was not an experience I want to repeat anytime soon. The day before — Monday — I had gotten soaked in the rain, but didn’t think much of it. On Tuesday I got to the airport in plenty of time, got on my flight, ate my dinner. I set to work on my Edge 3 edit. Then not quite four hours into a ten and half hour flight I became desperately, vilely ill. The first thing I discovered is there were no air sickness bags in the bathrooms...
by Melinda Snodgrass | Aug 24, 2014 | General
After the War Rooms I found myself at an impressive building that housed the Horse Guards. I’d never visited that museum so I rushed in and spent another hour studying the history of the Horse Guards. They were founded basically in a reaction to the Civil War and the beheading of Charles I. The rooms were filled with uniforms and mirror bright cuirasses, sabers, elaborate gold and silver helmets. And tack. The horses wear doubly bridles for their parade duties, and the curbs have...
