A Dangerous Chicken Marinade

LightGramsOctober 13, 2022Volume 26, Number 32 I recently overheard a man talking about preparing chicken breasts that were the best he had ever had. The key, he said, was a particular salad dressing which he used as a marinade. After sitting in that marinade for a time, the chicken was baked and served. I recently…

Stewards Of The Lighthouse

LightGramsOctober 6, 2022Volume 26, Number 31 An interesting auction took place a few days ago: an aging and rusting lighthouse was sold by the U.S. government to a yet-unnamed bidder. Situated in the Chesapeake Bay, the structure sits in the water with no easy way to approach it. It’s in great need of repair, and…

15 Minutes Of Fame

LightGramsSeptember 29, 2022Volume 26, Number 30 If asked to give a memorable quote from the late artist Andy Warhol, many could give a sound bite at least: “fifteen minutes of fame”. The fuller statement is this: “In the future everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes.” Few really know what Warhol meant, but that…

Breaking The chain

LightGramsSeptember 22, 2022Volume 26, Number 29 According to Yahoo News, Grace Brassel’s video on TikTok has gone viral, gathering over 2 million views. She tells about being told that her order at Starbucks was free, that someone in front of her had paid for it. Her first reaction was, “How nice!” But then the barista…

The Blind Driver

LightGramsSeptember 1, 2022Volume 26, Number 28 The phrase “Justice is blind” refers to the impartiality of the legal system. Ideally the courts should never look at a person’s ethnicity, gender, economic status, or educational level when making judgments. The judgments should be on the basis of evidence alone. Richard Bernstein is a Justice on the…

The Light Has Gone Out

LightGramsAugust 25, 2022Volume 26, Number 27 A lighthouse served a critical function in years gone by. Ships looking for a safe harbor to enter could be guided safely even in the darkness of night. The keeper of the lighthouse had to be reliable to keep the lamps trimmed and burning, because the lives of the…

Throwing Stones

LightGramsAugust 11, 2022Volume 26, Number 26 About an hour from where I live is an annual event that draws thousands. The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina is a celebration of Scottish heritage, and something like an Olympic competition is part of the festivities. For example, men in traditional kilts compete in “turning the…

Helping Provide Power

LightGramsJuly 28, 2022Volume 26, Number 24 The Newport (RI) Folk Festival features something new this year for its music concert: a “bike stage”. Five stationary bicycles are set up close to the stage. Fans take five-minute turns riding the bicycles, which are equipped to generate electricity as they are being pedaled. The amplifiers and speakers…

Failed Guarantees

LightGramsJuly 21, 2022Volume 26, Number 23 Kent Slaughter is angry at Bass Pro Shops. Over the last few years he has purchased several pairs of Redhead socks, advertised as “the last socks you’ll ever need”. Each pair came with a lifetime warranty that said Bass Pro would exchange worn-out socks with a new pair at…