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Celebrations & Holidays > Celebrations & Holidays (Other) 4th of July cookout: Dos and don'ts: 2 of 32

On June 10th 1776, the First Continental Congress commissioned five men to compose a document declaring America's independence from England. On June 11th the five men entered a candle-lit room in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to take on a task that could cost them their lives and fortunes. They were going to draft a document de...
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Funny pet stories: 6 of 53

With the exception that there was no loss of life and it wasn't Valentine's Day, it was an incident that could easily have surpassed the Valentine's Day Massacre. My wife likes birds as pets. That in itself is hard for me to understand. I'm not into pets that don't perform a function or contribute to their upkeep. For instan...
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Animal humor: 8 of 62

George and Gracie Goose A long, long time ago in a land far, far away. . . Actually it was in the summer of 2005 at our farm in Kentucky. My wife and I (which really means mostly my wife) decided that horses, cattle, ducks, a kennel full of dogs, a shed full of chickens, four goats, a parrot and a donkey weren't enough anima...
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory The lessons to be learned from the poor: 2 of 10

He was old I think, it was hard to tell. He seemed happy but how could he be, standing in the street, hawking newspapers? He was part of the intersection that he stood in. It was normal to see him there, just like the light standard and the fence along the parking lot it borders. His diligence and tolerance for the mundane c...
Food & Drink > Coffee Why people drink decaffeinated coffee: 1 of 3

I have a difficult situation. I love coffee. That's the bottom line, but I decided to use here at the top. My dilemma is that the doctor says I shouldn't drink the stuff due to my prostate problem. I'm actually sorry I shared that part but it's important in this discussion. For the last 15 years I have been under doctor's or...
Pets & Animals > Dog Training Are choke and prong collars useful or should they be banned?: 5 of 13

When I read the question I looked closely at the words, "useful" and "banned." I have trained dogs professionally and for a police department and I believe that both of these training aids can be useful in the right hands. First of all I'd like to change the words here from "choke collar" to "slip collar" and "prong" to "pin...
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: The Wild West: 7 of 16

It was rare not to see a quirley hanging from the corner of Phil West's mouth, so as soon as he was sure he wasn't being followed he stopped the gray to rest, rolled a smoke, inhaled the first tobacco vapors mixed with the sulfur of the match and then relaxed. Phil always dressed like a vaquero, wide brimmed hat, leather cuf...
Relationships & Family > Communication (Other) Sharing personal experiences that may benefit others: 18 of 34

I'm sure most people have heard common phrases such as, "It was so beautiful it took my breath away!" When I was a child and heard that phrase and similar ones uttered by adults, I assumed they couldn't really happen, it was just an adult expression. Surely nothing could take your breath away just by looking at it! As I beca...
Jobs & Careers > International & Government Jobs What you need to know before considering a career in law enforcement: 4 of 7

Ever since I was old enough to put thoughts together I wanted to be a police officer. Growing up I admired my older brothers and grandfather who were cops. I watched and observed uniformed officers wherever I happened to see them. I read every book or article I could get my hands on that described what it was like to be a co...
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections Should presidential candidates be required to disclose their health records?: 7 of 12

The question put forth is, "Should Presidential candidates be required to disclose their health records?" Some say the answer to that is, "Yes", it's vital to our national security. But it presents another question. "To whom should they reveal it?" Let's deal with the "Yes" answer first. Being the President of the Unites Sta...