I Wanted to Cover a Story, but I knew there was no way I could put it in the newsletter: it would cause the issue to be trapped by about 90 percent of readers’ spam filters.
Photo
Fashion Accessory
The story just isn’t enough: you want to see the photo Ashley Glawe (“glah-WE”) posted on Facebook from the emergency room. But first the story, from True’s 5 February 2017 issue:
Knowing Is Half the Battle
True contributor Mike Straw, who as you might remember is a fairly recently retired career U.S. Air Force officer, had more to say about one of the stories he wrote this week. We’ll start first with the story, from the 7 August 2016 issue:
Shopped Sleeves
Sometimes a story needs the photos discussed to be complete. Let’s start with the story, from True’s 8 June 2014 issue:
Band of Brothers
A story in this week’s True absolutely demands that I include the video mentioned in the story, so it’s being published here (with the video) rather than in the newsletter. From True’s 29 September 2013 issue:
Irreproducible
There was a magazine I read back in the 80s that I enjoyed: The Journal of Irreproducible Results, or JIR. A lot of the nerdy folks at NASA liked it (and there are a lot of nerdy folks at NASA!): it is, according to its tagline, “The Science Humor Magazine”.
Winter Wildlife
One of the things I like about being on the rural side of Colorado is the frequent wildlife sightings. Bunnies and jackrabbits are common. On our property, we’ve also seen coyotes, deer, elk, a badger(!), a bear (alas, only my wife saw that one), prairie dogs, eagles (both Golden and Bald), vultures, foxes, and while we didn’t see the animal, we’ve found mountain lion tracks here.
Keep Your Head Up
On Sunday I saw my wife had posted something on Facebook that really struck me. It was a “Share” of another friend’s “meme” graphic, and here it is:
Keep the X in Xmas
This week on Facebook, I’ve posted several provocative graphics — funny visual puns that lead up to …what? Today was the Big Reveal: the point.
Let’s start with the visual puns.
What Nightmares Are Made Of
The first and last stories from this week’s issue (7 October 12) are posted here: the first because you’ve got to shudder at the thought of the poor kid trying to escape a kidnap attempt …when you see the guy’s mug shot. And the last because I want to talk about how the tagline came about — and give you a place to politely discuss the story, if you wish.
Someone Has to Live Here
Last week my wife and I went driving to see the fall colors. I thought you’d like to see what the trees look like in the Colorado mountains at about the time the first snow dusts the top of the San Juan mountains.
Curiosity: the Mars Science Laboratory
My writing time this week was interrupted: I only started in the late evening, because I had my satellite TV tuned in to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where they were monitoring the landing of the latest rover on Mars, Curiosity (the best-named science craft ever); the mission itself is called the Mars Science Laboratory — accurate, if not as inspiring.
Two Tiny Scandals
Two stories this week will, I think, generate some comments from readers. One has a zero tolerance theme, and the other is a minor political scandal. They’re both from True’s 19 February 2012 issue.
Don’t Have a Cow, Man
Readers wanted to see the photos that go with this story, about the prisoner-altered State Police car-door decal in Vermont. It ran in True’s 12 February 2012 issue:
Sydney Spies’ Yearbook Photo
You don’t really need the photo that the girl submitted to the yearbook to “get” the story in this week’s issue (8 January 12), but she did release it to the media, so I’ll bring it to you — along with some additional details.
Fix-a-Flat
It’s another story that absolutely demands the accompanying illustration — in this case, a mug shot. But trust me: read the story first! It’s from True’s 20 November 2011 issue:
Eww Factor
OK, I admit it: I knew the tagline on a story this week would make a lot of readers squirm. I have the story — and the guy’s mug shot — plus some reader comments. The story is from True’s 14 August 2011 issue:
No Parking — Lithuanian Style
I’ve had a couple of complaints about a story in the 7 August 2011 issue. Let’s start with the story:
Remembrance and Reconciliation
There were a couple of stories I found earlier in the month, but decided to hold until the Memorial Day issue. And they get to be in the blog, since one of them has illustrations you need to see for the complete effect.
His Motto
Another classic story that is so nicely served by the photograph referenced in the story. From True’s 15 May 2011 issue.