New year babies
* Jan. 31, 1919, Jackie Robinson, first Black player in major league baseball * Jan. 6, 1412: Joan of Arc (Jeanne D’Arc), Maid of Orleans: French heroine:…
Author: The Smart Reader Staff
Briefs and quick reads selected and edited by The Smart Reader's editorial team of Rick, Allyson, and Ryan Good.
Important January days in history
On Jan. 20, 1885, L.A. Thompson of Coney Island, NY, patented the roller coaster. His 450-foot coaster had a drop of 30 feet. On Jan. 17, 1910, Thomas…
The marriage divide
Less than 10 percent of the births to college-educated women occur outside marriage, while for women with high school degrees or less the figure is nearly…
A shakeup at OpenAI hints at future trouble
As The Wire’s Omar Little said, memorably paraphrasing Machiavelli: You come at the king, you best not miss. Jaws dropped across the tech sector on…
Goliath versus Goliath? AI copyright battles blow up
By his own admission, Matthew Butterick is an unlikely warrior against Big Tech. A web entrepreneur turned lawyer, Butterick is a creative at heart who…
Blow for blow TikTok shadowboxing is a viral hit
Across the country and indeed the world, kids have been engaging in high-octane boxing on TikTok. Don’t worry though, the challengers aren’t throwing…
Avoiding travelers’ thrombosis
* Walk for 30 minutes before long road trips or airline flights. Take short walks at stops during a car trip, and walk in the aisles on the aircraft. *…
Plan a Christmas trip wisely
* Arrange a relaxing trip and an easy schedule at your destination. * Minimize jet lag by arriving close to your usual bedtime, according to your…
Tender care for your poinsettias
A little extra care can keep your poinsettia beautiful for months. Location is the first consideration. Place it near a bright indirect light source. If…
Are hurricanes evil?
The word hurricane originated with the ancient tribes of the Americas and their religious beliefs. The Mayan storm god was named Hunraken. He was blamed…