Joel Black

How to See Seattle in One Day, at Little Cost

See Seattle in One Day, for (almost) Free (One of a series of articles on seeing the Northwest. See also What to See in Washington State, Enumclaw-the next Vail, and What to See on Puget Sound) If you ask me, there are only two cities in America. Washington, D.C. and Seattle, Washington. Asia and Europe have several, but the cities of the USA , and I have seen all of them, (yes, that one too.) I can... (posted by Joel 2 years 82 days ago.)

The Inexplicable Human Race

What is it about shirts or towels, or diapers, flapping on the fence, or the line, or the window-railings, that so inspired the impressionist painters that no fewer than thirty such paintings have found their way to the great museums of France and Italy? Why do Americans travel half-way around the world to admire, contemplate and exclaim over laundry flying in the wind in the side streets of Tuscany, or in the vineyards of... (posted by Joel 2 years 117 days ago.)

I-pods and Education: The Effect of Noise on Intelligence

When Einstein was asked how he came up with such earth-shaking ideas, he stated, "I thought about it." Edison often stayed all night at his lab, sometimes for days, as the night afforded a quiet place for thought. Every guru in history has had his silent retreat. But today silence is no longer golden. In fact, it is downright distasteful. And that is a problem. Grandma had her knitting, and... (posted by Joel 4 years 102 days ago.)