Articles written by Dan Birchall

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About me - Dan Birchall

Hailing from a small town in New Jersey, Dan has at various times been an architecture major, birdwatcher, chocolate connoisseur, competitive cyclist, computer programmer, consultant, editor, election worker, father, heavy-metal journalist, husband, laser

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Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Dark poems: 28 of 1320
The BeastSilently stalking the darkness I tread,Roaming the still of the nightSearching and hungering, Seeking my breadThe red of the blood and the whiteOf the flesh of young lovers,Devoted and chaste,Betrayed by the fates that they trustSlavering, thirsting, and longing to tasteMade mad by a ravening lust.Quietly crouching I... More..
Travel > Asia Traveling to Singapore: 1 of 15
I recently traveled through Singapore on my way to a week in Indonesia. This wasn't unusual - Singapore is one of the major hubs for air travel in southeast Asia, along with Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. I had a few different flight options, and opted for one with a stop in Singapore so that I could have dinner and sightsee with ... More..
Sciences > Astronomy The causes of meteors and meteorites: 1 of 7
There are three causes of meteors or "shooting stars." However, there are only two causes of meteorites, the remains of meteors found on Earth.Why the difference? Simple. Space debris of human origin - bits and pieces of rocket stages, tools dropped by spacewalking astronauts, decommissioned satellites and so on - occasionall... More..
Travel > United Kingdom Travel destinations: Dundee, Scotland: 1 of 7
The "City of Discovery," so dubbed in honor of the Royal Research Ship "Discovery," which carried the 1902 National Antarctic Expedition, Dundee has been a population center since the 11th century. The city has been home to inventors and pioneers of aspirin, electric light, wireless telegraphy, manned flight, X-Rays, the adhe... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Experiencing nature: 44 of 230
(written in 1992)looking out the windowi see the mist lying on the grassacross the roadcool whitenessagainst the purple of duskI step into the gathering darkdash into the mistlet it surround melet myself be seen through itI want to be one with the mistto lay over the fields at nightsoftening the lightshiding the sharp edgesbu... More..
Travel > Travel Diaries & Adventures (Other) The best destinations for adventure travel: 4 of 20
What could be more adventurous than hiking on an active, erupting volcano? The "Big Island" of Hawaii is home to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the world's most active volcano, Kilauea. Its name translates to "much spewing," and is certainly appropriate, as the current eruption began over 23 years ago in January of 1983 a... More..
Computers & Technology > Phone Tips & Tricks Where is the phone technology heading?: 1 of 5
In the past ten years, phone technology has evolved on several fronts - but many of the major advances have not involved telephones as we know them.Traditional landline corded and cordless phones have seen relatively few improvements, and those have typically "trickled down" from features that were already available in models... More..
Sciences > Geology & Geophysics Highest mountains in the world: 1 of 5
There are three different ways to measure the "highest mountain in the world," and as a result, three different mountains can claim the title for different reasons.1. Summit highest above sea levelThe summit highest above sea level is that of Mount Everest in the Himalayas, at 8850 meters. (K2 in the Karakoram range is second... More..
Sciences > Astronomy Comets: An overview: 1 of 4
Comets are primarily rocky or dusty in nature, but also contain volatile compounds such as water or methane. They originate in the outer reaches of our solar system, or in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and "fall" toward the sun when a passing object bumps or gravitationally disturbs them.When comets approach the... More..
Computers & Technology > Telephones (Other) Corded phones within the home: 1 of 4
In the twenty-first century, corded phones may seem old, outdated, even anachronistic. After all, cordless phones that provide freedom of movement have been available for decades, with features that match those of corded models. And today, Voice over IP (VoIP) services can provide costs far below those of traditional telephon... More..