Articles written by Addison Phillips

Where Knowledge Rules

What is Helium

About me - Addison Phillips

Middle-aged American male, married with two children. I like high-tech stuff, software and gadgets but I read a lot these days. Acting is fun but harder than it looks, I've occasionally done well. I was paid to sing opera once. I've soloed but never got my

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Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Death of a grandparent: 1 of 36
My grandmother saw Haley's comet twice. The first time, she was about 13, just a kid, standing in a field, in the darkness, long ago. The second time was in 1986, and I took her outside of her house and pointed it out. I had just graduated college and my parents were away in Florida, so I visited my grandmother often during ... More..
Sciences > Sciences (Other) Are we ready for artificial intelligence: 1 of 10
The term "Artificial Intelligence" refers to a concept, that until just recently, had it's place only in the fantastic world of science fiction. Some of us are ready for AI today, others will take awhile to get the feel of it, still others will fight against it, resisting with all their resources to the bitter end. We are al... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Fairy tales: 18 of 175
The Princess Lost Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess. She had flowing, sandy-blonde hair that sparkled in the sunlight when she rode her great Arabian horse, Moonbeam. She loved to ride, slowly through the forest or fast, flying through the fields and open spaces. She knew she was a lucky girl, but lately, she... More..
Sciences > Ecology & Environment Almost free and low cost ways to produce electrical power: 1 of 9
It's a bright, sunny day in the springtime, people are visiting, sitting outside having cool drinks on the deck. I've made some excuse or other, and I'm in the house, in the battery room. It's cool and dark in here, except for an eerie, bluish glow, coming from a small flat-panel display - a DC powered personal computer, ess... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Addiction: 14 of 46
I began as a promising child, the son of hard-working middle-class parents. Growing up, I had never experienced drunkenness or abuse. Neither of my parents ever left the home, and I never saw either of them intoxicated. I was the baby of the family, having both an older brother and sister, neither of whom ever showed any sig... More..
Health & Fitness > Health Testimonies Testimony: Life with disabilities: 5 of 15
One of the problems of being on a ventilator is that you can't yawn. You can't just have a nice deep yawn, or sigh or even just hold your breath for a moment. Otherwise, the machine will begin squawking, sounding its alarm, I suppose, to alert the nurse or somebody that something's not just right with your breathing. It's fu... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Self awareness: 23 of 67
The Awning My father's house has an aluminum awning over the back door. I remember my mother's complaining that so-and-so's son was supposed to come over and fix it. One corner of it had been propped up using a long board. The long board was actually two 1 by 3's tacked together. If the board was not there, the awning would ... More..
Health & Fitness > Health Testimonies Living with a disability: 24 of 51
There is a sort of sad, nervousness among the men on the spinal cord injury floor of the hospital on Friday nights. We're mostly youngish men with some adventure still left in us. Most of us would probably rather be enjoying the arts, some music, a show or just cavorting in downtown Boston. But instead, we are facing major l... More..
Autos > Motorcycles & Scooters How to be safe on a motorcycle: 9 of 17
Riding a motorcycle is something like being positioned, sitting on a metal chair, over a huge grindstone; the difference is, you are moving and the grindstone is staying still! Of course, this analogy is comical, but, the point should be well taken: one false move may be disastrous. Anyone riding on a motorcycle should do hi... More..
Computers & Technology > Hardware (Other) RAM explained: 8 of 14
Your PC, your computer, whether Mac or IBM PC compatible or an old TRS 80 from ancient times is essentially a simulated personal office. There is considerable mis-information or disinformation or just plain old confusion regarding the various parts of your computer and how they work. Thinking of your PC as a simulated office... More..