Did the concept of a civil union originate in medieval Europe? That’s the intriguing possibility raised in the respected Journal of Modern History by Allan A. Tulchin of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania. (Via Box Turtle Bulletin.) As a recovering academic with a graduate degree in medieval history, I find this fascinating—though I’ve got the usual
(Originally published in Bay Windows, August 23, 2007.) “I just keep having this desire to do work that seems impossible,” says Dr. Abbie Goldberg of her research on LGBT and other understudied families. The assistant professor of psychology at Clark University in Worcester is passionate about delving into these areas few other social scientists have
In my last post, I wrote about the very cool new Google Sky and how it could be a fun way to teach kids about astronomy. As an astronomy major myself, and someone who is married to an engineer, I’m all for science education, particularly for girls, who still tend to be overlooked when it
We always knew Google was planning to take over the universe. They come one step closer with the release of Google Sky, part of an upgrade to their very cool Google Earth software. If you or your children are into astronomy, or have to learn more about it as part of a school science project,
Yesterday I mentioned Steven Caney’s Toy Book as a great source of ideas for homemade kids’ toys. Along the same vein, but with an added bonus, is The Science Explorer by Pat Murphy, Ellen Klages, and Linda Shore of the San Francisco Exploratorium Museum. It’s chock-full of quick, craft-like projects aimed at six- to nine-year-olds,
My partner and I took our son to his first baseball game this past weekend. It was a minor-league game, since we figured that at four years old, his attention span might not last a full nine innings, even with Cracker Jacks and ice cream. (We were right, despite the attraction of the grinning-baseball mascot.)
With toy recalls coming faster than a toddler’s diaper changes these days, it seems natural to turn to homemade options for our children’s playthings. One great resource for toy ideas is Steven Caney’s Toy Book. First published in 1972, it was reissued in 1990 and still stands the test of time. Some toys are simple,
For the past two months, I’ve posted Family Voices, a series of interviews with LGBT families from around the country. The families volunteered because of their involvement in the Family Pride Coalition’s OUTSpoken Families program, and their commitment to speaking with their local communities and media about their lives and the need for LGBT equality.
Google has released the first screenshots of a new health-information service that will allow people easier access to and greater control of their medical records. Leaving aside the vast and frightening security issues, this seems like a good idea. The project is still in development, but is going by the codename “Weaver.” At least one
My son is starting preschool in two weeks, and I’m viewing the event with a mixture of excitement and hesitation. As a reformed academic myself, who always saw September, rather than January, as the real start of the year, I can’t help thinking that he’s embarking on the first steps of an adventure that will
