The Top 10 Blogs for 2013


What would the New Year be without a list?  Here, in order, are my top 10 blogs by number of views.

1.  Peter W. Higgs, A Nobel Prize and the Music of the Spheres (October 9)

 I was delighted that a science blog took first place. 

“Unlike the Nobel for Literature, which seems to go to any dull, obscure 2nd world writer who sees the world as a forlorn and gloomy place, or the Nobel Peace Prize which has turned into a political joke with America as the punch line, the prizes in the hard sciences: physics, economics, chemistry, and medicine are genuine acknowledgments of expertise and merit.  This kind of knowledge challenges mankind.  It makes us test ourselves on every level from physical to metaphysical.  It makes us better people through an appreciation of the music of the spheres.”

2.  Lenten Sacrifices and Stranded Whales (February 26) featured my husband (a trained member of the coastal rescue for the Texas Master Naturalists)

“He and the others will be there, cold, tired and muscle weary, doing what volunteers do.  I am proud of my husband and his devotion to doing right by the natural world.  But I also find myself in mind of his work in this Lenten season. 

Up front, you need to know that while I am a Lutheran and perfectly at ease with my Christian beliefs, my husband is an atheist.  I believe that somewhere this evening St. Francis of Assisi is having a conversation with St. Peter.  It might go something like this, “…aye, it’s certainly true, Peter, that the man with the whale doesn’t talk the talk; but he certainly walks the walk.”   

3.  Dove Soap and How Women See Themselves (April 22)  After reading about Dove’s campaign I used my experience in the YMCA after they installed mirrors along one wall to point out the wisdom and folly of my fellow women.

“Dove soap is telling women to give themselves a break.   The ad uses the services of Gil Zamora, an FBI trained forensic sketch artist to draw women both as they describe themselves and as strangers describe them.  The results are displayed side by side and the woman’s self described sketch is much less flattering than the one done by strangers.  Dove’s message is, “You are much more beautiful than you think.”  

4.  Delta Force, Navy Seals and the Day the Earth Stood Still (October 9)  While some people may say that America can not be the world’s policeman, I wonder just who is going to clean out the rats before we all come down with bubonic plague.

“The 1951 sci-fi classic, The Day the Earth Stood Still starred Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal in a thriller steeped in cold war paranoia and dark warnings for the future of man.  In many ways, however, the second lead belongs to a huge, metallic and all powerful robot, Gort, played by 7’7” actor, Lock Martin (what a great stage name!).  Our Special Forces, along with a few well placed drone strikes could be our, “Gort.”  Screw up your welcome on this planet and you are dead.  We have smart bombs, pin-point missile capability and a few amazing fighting men who can administer justice in one almighty final way.  We will keep executing these sociopathic creeps until their own people start choosing better leaders.”

            Here is the rest of the list:

5.  A Tale of Two Girls: The Slut and the Hero (February 7)

6.  PETA, Cow Raffles and an Unreconstructed Carnivore (March 25)

7.  Manti Te’o and Obama’s Second Coming Both Involve Fantasy (January 19)

8.  The Westminster Kennel Club Show and Winning Dogs (February 8)

9.  A. J., I am so Tired of the, “F” Word (April 26)

10.  The Real Stooge of the Night: The IRS Scandal, Part I (May 17)

            Let’s spend 2014 keeping the faith.

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