“The world’s debt to Dr. William Foege is enormous.”

HEROES, HealersThe AtticFebruary 12, 2026Dr. William Foege, Smallpox, Smallpox eradication, WHO Target Zero, anti-vaxxers, anti-vaccination movement, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Public health Comments

"MY FARAWAY ONE"

“Having told you so much of me,” Georgia O’Keeffe wrote, “more than anyone else I know—could anything else follow but that I should want you?”

ROMANCEThe AtticFebruary 5, 2026Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O'Keefe, American romance, Valentine's Day, Georgia O'Keeffe Comments

SCULPTING SILENCE -- THE ASL STORY

How American Sign Language came out of a small town to speak volumes and change lives.

TEACHERS & HEALERS, teachers & healers, TEACHERS, teachersThe AtticJanuary 29, 2026American Sign Language, ASL, Deaf Education, Gallaudet, Thomas Gallaudet, Gallaudet University, Oralism Comments

FROM THE LONG END OF THE SCOPE

When it comes to forward thinking, the Long Now Foundation has plenty of time.

THE FUTUREThe AtticJanuary 23, 2026Long Now Foundation, 210, 10, 10000 year clock, the future, Stewart Brand, Brian Eno Comments

THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO KIDS

Naive and innocent, perhaps, but the future once called to children. And now?

THE FUTUREThe AtticJanuary 16, 2026The Future, The Jetsons, Tom Swift, Tom Swift books, 1939 Worlds Fair, Retrofuturism Comment

TIME IN A BOTTLE

Seeds of hope, links to the future, the world’s time capsules number 15,000. And counting.

THE FUTUREThe AtticJanuary 8, 2026time capsules, 1939 New York Worlds Fair, The Future Comment

TOWARD A HISTORY OF THE FUTURE

The Future has a past that can teach us how to hope again. Onwards.

THE FUTUREBruce WatsonDecember 31, 2025the future, time capsules, prognostication, 22nd century, long now foundation Comments

WHERE THE FUTURE STUDIED

During dark times, an upstart college dared to open the doors to the future — of art, dance, poetry, music. . .

DREAMERSThe AtticDecember 22, 2025Black Mountain College, Rauschenberg, John Cage, American higher education, North Carolina, Asheville, NC Comments

THINKING OUTSIDE THE TOOLBOX

Matthew B. Crawford, Ph.D can fix your Harley, but can he fix the American malaise?

BOOK-ISHThe AtticDecember 4, 2025Matthew B. Crawford, Shopcraft as Soulcraft, The World Beyond Your Head, motorcycles, motorcycle mechanics, American work Comments

SEQUOYAH AND THE "TALKING LEAVES"

The miracle of writing evaded the natives until one man made the leap.

HEROES, BOOK-ISHThe AtticNovember 21, 2025Sequoyah, Cherokee, Cherokee language, Cherokee syllabary Comments

WHERE LIGHT AND LIGHTNING RULE

Lightning may not strike often, but “The Lightning Field” electrifies the New Mexico desert.

ART-ISHThe AtticNovember 6, 2025Walter De Maria, The Lightning Field, Earth Art, 1970s art Comments

CELEBRATING SCHLOCKY SENTENCES

Beyond “dark and stormy night,” “bad lit” contests made purple prose proliferate.

BOOK-ISH, WITSThe AtticOctober 23, 2025Bulwer-Lytton Contest, Hemingway contest, Faulkner contest, parody Comments

"MR. URBAN LEGEND" AND THE LIES THAT BIND

When Jan Harold Brunvand heard the same stories from students, he began collecting “urban legends.” They are too much with us now.

Battling the B.S., BATTLING THE B.S.The AtticOctober 10, 2025Jan Harold Brunvand, Urban legends, The Vanishing Hitchiker, Immigrants eating pets, fake news, moral panics, BS, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Folklore, Modern folklore Comment

SWINGIN' WITH THE SWEETHEARTS

Big Bands were all male, all white. Then from the shadows of Jim Crow came the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.

ART-ISHThe AtticSeptember 25, 2025International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Big Band Music, Women in jazz, female musicians Comments

A LEARNED JUDGE AND HIS "POETRY OF LIBERTY"

With America at war, Judge Learned Hand deftly defined “The Spirit of Liberty”

HEROESThe AtticSeptember 11, 2025Judge Learned Hand, Spirit of Liberty, "Spirit of Liberty" speech, Tolerance, immigrants Comments

ONCE MORE TO THE BEACH

One last weekend, one last summer -- remembered.

WONDERS, WondersThe AtticAugust 27, 2025Labor Day, Summer, Beach summer, Parenthood, Kids at the beach Comments

KINDER, COOLER, SMARTER!

WORKING ON CUTER. . .

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