Articles written by Barbara Peterson

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About me - Barbara Peterson

I am the publisher of The Thunder Child Science fiction and fact webzine. I also publish Ghost Guns Virginia, a webzine featuring the history of Virginia (in particular, military history). I'm interested in practically every subject under the sun, however.

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Travel > Travel Planning & Advice Which is harder: Getting ready for a vacation or returning home afterwards?: 4 of 38

For organized people, returning from a vacation is much harder than getting ready for one. After all, how hard is it to prepare for a vacation? You take your vacation time. You pack your clothes. Yes...most people pack too many clothes. (Some people forget essential stuff like their medications, or even their passport - but ...
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Doctrine & Issues Did Jesus mention homosexuality?: 4 of 22

I would think that the question would be not "Did Jesus mention homosexuality," but rather, "What did Jesus think about homosexuality?" Since the only reason for this question is to find out whether or not God/Jesus thinks gays are sinners, or just people trying to live their lives as best they can, as God made them. When di...
Personal Finance > Retirement Does it really pay to save for retirement?: 6 of 26

Does it really pay to save for retirement? Well, gee, unless you plan on living a life of poverty, dining on catfood or huddling in a paper carton on a sidewalk somewhere, then yes, it does pay. I'd much rather live in a home, however tiny, with heat in the winter and air conditioning (or at least a fan) in the summer, and w...
Sports & Recreation > Biking Should freestyle motocross racing be banned because of safety issues?: 1 of 4

There is danger inherent in every human activity, from getting up in the morning (most accidents in the home happen in the bathroom, with those pesky slippery floors or bathtubs) to going to bed at night. Humans thrive on danger. If people like to do freestyle motocross racing they shouldn't be stopped. It's a free country. ...
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss Life support: Should the wishes of the family take precedence over the patient's right to relieve his own suffering?: 25 of 82

This topic is of great importance to me, because I daily am in the position of fearing that I'll have a stroke. I do not fear dying...what has me terrified is that my family may take the horrible, horrible step of keeping me alive despite my stated wishes to the contrary. I love sitting around in a chair all day reading book...
Entertainment > Celebrity Gossip & News Does Nicole Richie have what it takes to become a mother?: 9 of 21

The title of this debate is, "Does Nicole Richie have what it takes to become a mother?" Based on what I know of her behavior, I'd have to say, no. But, let's face it - a great many females these days - from mere teenagers to women in their early twenties to women even older, also do not have what it takes to become a mother...
Politics, News & Issues > War & Terrorism Are we safer now than we were immediately after 9/11, or have we just been lucky?: 19 of 44

Unfortunately, the United States is by no means safer now than we were six years ago. The reason is simple. Our government is a top-heavy beauracracy, filled with incompetent people from top to bottom... and so are the agencies that are supposed to protect us. But how can it be otherwise? Our polticians - Republican and Demo...
Arts & Humanities > American Literature Book reviews: Flying North South East and West, by Captain Terry Reece: 1 of 1

Flying North, South, East and West: Arctic to the Sahara, by Terry Reece. iUniverse, Inc. 2007. Available at Amazon.com for $29.95 Official website: www.FlyingNorth.com Terry Reece has been a pilot practically his entire life, from his first lesson as a teenager in 1958 given by his cousin after some seat-of-the-pants educat...
Home & Garden > Real Estate (Other) Should I sell my house or rent it out?: 6 of 11

Rental property is the way to go...if you can afford to have rental property. There are pros and cons, although these can be alleviated by ensuring that your rental property is in the right residential area. 1. If your house is in a poor area, it is not a good idea to rent it out. There's always a danger that renters will st...
Sports & Recreation > Golf Should the Golf Channel have suspended Kelly Tilghman for her comment about Tiger Woods and lynching?: 3 of 5

While blacks were certainly lynched during the bad old days, pre the Civil Rights movement, the term "lynching" is not itself specifically referencing black people. In the wild, wild West, lots of people thought of committing crimes were "lynched," from cattle rustlers to horse thieves - and they were mostly, if not all, whi...