Month: March 2016

Wherein I ponder family, politics, and mortality – Part 1

This primary season’s excesses and carnival atmosphere have led me to examine the histories and beliefs of family and friends living in North Florida who voted for Donald Trump.  They are not white supremacists.  They are not racists.  They are not haters.  It’s easy for me to project those beliefs onto them as a simple answer for why they’ve supported a clown of a millionaire turned politician whose rhetoric attracts white supremacists, racists, and haters to his cause.  But, it’s not what they are.   They are afraid.  They fear terrorists, they fear “unrest”, they fear anger directed at law enforcement, and they fear the very social changes that I embrace as advancements in human rights and justice.

This is Part 1 of a series of articles I will post this month.

Continue reading “Wherein I ponder family, politics, and mortality – Part 1”

The Griffin Warrior

There is a grave near Pylos that dates back to Mycenaean Greece.  The grave goods document something that is well known about Mycenaean Greece: the cultural and trade exchanges that occurred between Greece and Crete at the time.  Nearby lie the ruins of the Palace of Nestor, first discovered in an olive grove in 1939.  Though this palace was destroyed by fire long ago, it is the most complete and well-preserved Bronze Age Greek palace found to date.

Continue reading “The Griffin Warrior”

Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers that Accept Unsolicited Submissions

books-14148726655IP

Photo credit: Vicky Van de Kerckhoven

This is a partial list of publishers and submission requirements in my areas of interest as a writer.

Continue reading “Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishers that Accept Unsolicited Submissions”

Ancient Bread Revisited

Earlier this month, I blogged about the re-engineering of a 2000-year-old loaf of Pompeiian Bread.  Last weekend, I decided to try baking one of my own.  I watched the openculture.com video showing Giorgio Locatelli bring his recipe theories to life, but the recipe didn’t appeal to me.  Dry yeast? Gluten?  These ingredients didn’t exist in ancient Pompeii.

I found a link to another recipe at www.thefreshloaf.com that satisfied both my intent to use ingredients and techniques available at the time and my desire for a tasty, well-sprung loaf.  The recipe is for a Miche – a very large round loaf weighing 1.5 kg.  I cut the recipe roughly in half and made a 2 lb loaf.  My banneton nearly overflowed, but the resulting loaf was excellent.

Continue reading “Ancient Bread Revisited”