HOME | POLITICS | SPORTS | LIFE | SCI/TECH | OPEDS | HELPFUL TIPS
|
Jan. 10, 2006 Periodically, I like to go back and look at the columns that I’ve written for Useless Knowledge. It’s interesting to me to see how much my writing has changed over the course of the last two years. It’s also interesting to see how many words I managed to omit from my columns. There’s a name for that phenomenon, where you think you typed a word but didn’t. Right now, though, I can’t think of what it is. In any event, let’s go back in time to review some gems from the archives. I like to refer to these columns as my greatest hits. How to Get Married on $1,000 (or less) (May 19, 2004). My very first column for Useless Knowledge was written four years after I got married, but it holds some great grains of truth for those who want to tie the knot. Instead of forking over thousands of bucks to throw a party that only you and your sweetie are likely to remember, downsize the festivities and put that extra dough toward something else. Coack K’s Decision to Stay (July 6, 2004). One of a number of sports-related columns I’ve written during my time here, this one is devoted to that guy who just keeps on winning at Duke. And as much as I dislike the Blue Devils, I’m still convinced that Coach K did the right thing by staying. He’s a class act, no question. Doing the Death Penalty the Right Way (August 8, 2004). Part of a friendly debate between myself and the dean of Useless Knowledge, Michael John McCrae, this article lays out the ground rules to bring America’s use of the death penalty more in line with Old Testament prescriptions. Oddly enough, no Christian has been able to successfully justify to me why we still execute people for murder, but not for anything else, before or since I wrote that article. Michael and I have developed a great relationship over the course of time, even if we disagree on the death penalty. And this article helped start us down that glorious path. The Best Reason to Watch the Republican National Convention (August 25, 2004). Okay, I’ll admit that I have a fascination with balloons. And political conventions deliver the goods in a big way. So, too, I’ve found out recently, do Phish concerts. Balloons really do add spice to a party, whether you’ve got a few strewn about the room for a birthday or plan to bury 20,000 people in a basketball arena on New Year’s Eve. Now who won the Republican nomination again? The Case for Continental Air Defense (October 10, 2004). Over four years after the devastating terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, our major cities still remain vulnerable to attack from the air. In this article, I laid out a case for how to defend those cities. Now when is Charlotte getting those Patriot missile batteries? Four More Years of George W. Bush-Bashing (November 4, 2004). When I wrote this article, I found out that the dislike and distrust of our president extends beyond our borders. In fact, I received more positive response to this column that I’ve received on anything I’ve written for Useless Knowledge. That includes being considered an honorary citizen of Canada and Scotland. Come to think of it, there’s a reader in Ottawa from whom I still need to collect a cold Molson. Pat Tillman Is A Hero, But Not A Hall Of Famer (January 6, 2005). The death of Pat Tillman, an Army Ranger who was killed by friendly fire in the line of duty, stirred some debate among football fans about whether he should be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In this article, I lay out my case for why Tillman’s heroics don’t merit that recognition. This is a piece I really enjoyed writing, because I also got a chance to highlight another late football hero who lost his life helping others. The Beirut Peacekeeper Postage Stamp Initiative (March 10, 2005). This column was a follow-up to another article in honor of retiring CBS newsman Dan Rather. Not only did I have to issue a correction (one of several I’ve done during my writing here) but I also found out about this great cause. Since I wrote this column, more than 1,000 people have signed the petition on the Beirut Stamp website, bringing the total number of signers to nearly 8,200. The people running the site and campaigning for this stamp are real heroes. Looking for a Black Irwin Allen (March 11, 2005). This column not only tells of my love of disaster films, it also laments the fact that no African-American director has, to my knowledge, tried tackling a disaster film. Timothy Stelly took umbrage with me for this article, but I didn’t hold it against him. In fact, we’ve also forged a rewarding bond as fellow writers. Maybe I can talk Tim into helping me write my own disaster drama, The Poseidon Inferno. No word on whether 20th Century Fox or Warner Bros. will buy it, though. Defending Michelle Malsbury (June 28, 2005). Two conservatives and a liberal surf onto a website. They see a damsel, herself a liberal, in the clutches of a conservative wolf. So, the two conservatives and a liberal do what they don’t normally do best—join forces against a common enemy. In the end, the conservative wolf ran off to find fresh meat elsewhere, and the damsel is still writing liberally. JeanMarie Randall Needs Our Help (July 30, 2005). After losing her son in a construction-zone accident near Binghamton, New York, JeanMarie Randall took up the crusade to educate others to drive with more care around construction workers. This article, inspired by one written by the Charlotte Observer’s Ken Garfield, briefly tells Ms. Randall’s story and gives some important information on safe driving practice in road-work zones. NFL Head Coaches Who May Not Be Around Next Season (September 9, 2005). Pro football is a business of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately. And in 2005, a number of coaches finally got the hint that they didn’t do enough. Of those coaches on my hot seat, two (Dom Capers and Mike Martz) were fired at season’s end; one (Steve Mariucci) was fired during the season; another one (Dick Vermeil) retired; three (Joe Gibbs, Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan) took their teams to the playoffs; and one (Bill Parcells) forestalled a third retirement by signing a contract extension, despite missing the playoffs. Three other coaches not on my list (Jim Haslett, Mike Sherman and Mike Tice) also got the boot. And one coach (Herman Edwards) got traded from the Jets to the Chiefs for draft picks. Had enough of my greatest hits? Me, too. Time to go crank out a few more. ------------ About the author: Claxton Graham has written a number of articles for Useless Knowledge. He works as a business systems analyst. Email: scifiwriter8502@email.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
