writer Archives - Mark Kaplowitz

10 August 2017

Remember When We Didn’t Need A Planetary Protection Officer?

When I saw NASA’s advertisement for “Planetary Protection Officer,” I knew that it was the job for me. I have always been concerned about interplanetary missions accidentally bringing alien germs back to Earth. Although I did not have the required degree in physical science or math, I hated being around sick people, especially people who are sniffling or coughing, and...

Space Travel/Uncategorized Comments: 2

2 August 2017

Remember When We All Had Chips Surgically Implanted?

When my employer approached me about surgically implanting a microchip in my hand so that I could get into the office without having to take out my key fob, I was little reluctant. But then I read that other people had done it, so I knew it must be safe. Having a computer chip sitting inside the fleshy web between...

Current Events/Politics Comments: 0

29 May 2017

Remember When Everyone Wasn’t in Contact With the Russians?

First it was reported that the National Security Adviser had discussed sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador. Then it turned out that the President’s son-in-law and senior adviser had held numerous meetings with the Russian ambassador, supposedly to establish a line of communication with the Kremlin by connecting two cans with a really long string. Then it was rumored...

Current Events/Government/Politics Comments: 0

14 May 2017

Remember When You Could Fire the FBI Director Without Getting a Lot of Flak?

So the President has fired the FBI Director. I’m surprised it took this long. Maybe the FBI Director owed the President money for a lost bet, and the President figured as long as the Director was still in Washington, I’ll have a better chance of collecting. In the second season of The Apprentice, there was an episode where the contestants...

Government Comments: 0

27 April 2017

Remember When the President Lived at the White House?

It was nearly 100 days into his presidency, and Donald Trump had spent half of his weekends as president at a private resort in Florida. There, in addition to playing golf, he held cabinet meetings, met with foreign dignitaries, and, while enjoying a candlelit dinner on the patio, reviewed evidence of North Korea’s ballistic missile testing. Many people criticized him...

Government Comments: 0

18 November 2015

Remember When People Proofread?

Today I have not written a post. Instead, I have posted a graphic from Grammarly in honor of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), the annual contest where you complete a 50,000 word novel entirely within the month of November. If you must know the truth, I started a novel of my own for NaNoWriMo 2015. But I stopped about 10,000...

Blogging and Writing Comments: 0

11 October 2015

Remember When People Didn’t Grow Plants on Their Heads?

I cannot believe that this blog is five years old. I’ll never know what moved me that day to write a few hundred words about the early 90s show Beavis and Butthead and publish the piece on a WordPress blog called “Schlabadoo.” But whatever it was, be it muse or daemon or the ancient Babylonian god Marduk, the same force...

URL Changes Comments: 0

30 June 2015

Remember When You Had Never Heard of a Leap Second?

Today at around 8:00 p.m. everyone received an extra second. Scientists do this every now and again to make up for the wobble in the Earth’s rotation. Otherwise, in a few centuries sunrise would take place at noon. So they add a leap second. It’s a nice gesture, and my only complaint is that they don’t announce it in advance...

Science Comments: 0

31 May 2015

Remember When You Couldn’t Get a Head Transplant?

Last month a doctor said that he was planning to undertake the world’s first head transplant. The operation is as simple as it sounds. Take the head of one body and surgically reattach to another. The articles discussing the planned operation, which is apparently going to take place in China despite all of the interest that Western countries have in...

Medicine Comments: 0

17 October 2014

Remember When You Could Send a Spaceship to Mars for Only $75 million?

So I’m sure you’ve heard by now of the orbiter that India sent to Mars for only $75 million, and seen it compared to the U.S. Mars orbiter that cost $672 million. Whatever the reasons for the difference in price, my main concern is that the two orbiters will start orbiting the planet in the same path at the same...

Current Events/Money/Space Travel Comments: 0

Tag: writer