Non-Fiction

Nine applicants from around the globe have come to test for their Shodan, first degree black belt. Forget what you see on television, this is what it's really about - hard work, discipline and community.

Having a pet can be a rewarding relationship. Though most of the time, we take care of their needs, sometimes they wind up taking care of ours.

The dropping of atomic bombs on Japan is possibly the most terrifying moment in military history. Was it worth it? Consider Operation Downfall - our contingency plan. On paper, it's always so simple. Put a face to those who lived and died and the decision becomes intensely more personal.

Whether you call it the Ride Bell, Biker Bell or Grimling Bell, it's a classic part of biker mythos that everyone who throws a leg across should know.

If you're feeling depressed, don't listen to Tom Cruise. It won't help, and it might hurt a lot more than you think.

The strange events surrounding the Milanese Plague of 1630 seem more suited to a sci-fi thriller like Outbreak than a city just out of the dark ages. Several aspects, however, make a tragedy of four hundred years ago unusually easy to relate to today.

The internet is scary enough when there are real people on it, but how bad can it get with Artificial Intelligence? Tedi's considered view on AI and its effect on breathing humans.

France wasn't the only nation to aid the colonies during the American Revolution. For five years, Spain gave above and beyond what the colonies requested, and not all the aid was overt and diplomatic; Bernardo de Galvez's secret operations out of New Orleans were just a part of the role Spain played in American independence.

Buying the occasional impractical vehicle aside, what midlife is really all about is trying to figure out what you want to do with the future you have left, understand the good and bad things you've done in the past, and reconcile it all into a life well-lived.

This is it! The final stage to organizing your home! Knick-knacks and general clutter have met their match with seven easy steps to organized living that you can apply anywhere.

Closets! Are you overrun with things you haven't worn since college, or since your teenager was born? Or will never fit into again? Don't worry, you can probably get those closets under control in seven easy steps that will probably take you less than two hours, start to finish.

Some of you bibliophiles, like myself, cringe at the thought of getting rid of any of our precious books. But the fact of the matter is that we can only fit so many bookshelves in our homes. It's time to move onto the next phase of organizing: we are going to organize our books and magazines.

How often have you tried to get organized? Here's a short, simple guide to getting your life in order, all with less than twelve hours of effort. Part one: getting our paper under control!

A reflection on the scandal in the American Catholic Church.

The battle of Belleau Woods was not the official beginning of the U.S. Marine Corps, but it marks the birth of the Marines as we know them and marks the emergence of some of our most treasured Marine Corps legends.

Gardeners, plant your seedlings — tomato season is about to begin! Competitive tomato gardening is a traditional neighborhood sport, and Certified Nursery Professional Nanci Nichols has several tips to keep you at the front of the pack for producing this juicy summer crop.

No trees. Fake plastics replacing real bamboo left and right. Wildlife pressed into ever-decreasing spaces. Constant complaints about the weather. Is it any wonder that a foreigner living in Japan might blink when her neighbors tell her, "We Japanese love nature"?

Ok, so you find yourself on the slide from a relationship. You are a guy and you don't know how you are going to go on with life. Luckily for you, this biker has more than enough experience to point you into getting back into the swing of things.

Cover story. First appeared 2004-11-20

Cover story. First appeared 2004-08-21.

In which we explore the difference between the search for The Absolute Truth, and the search for A Useful Explanation So We Can Get On With Our Lives and Maybe Catch A Movie Later. First appeared 2003-04-14

The classic Piker article on the care and history of body piercings.

Tattoos and Piercings - Part one of the classic Piker two part series on things you can do your own flesh.

Intrepid girl reporter Tedi Trindle investigates the signs of aging and reports for her beloved public. It could happen to anyone, will it happen to you? Only time will tell.

We've got a nose for the future! Don't make a single decision until you've looked up your Schnozzmo horoscope for the week!

The iShuffle offers the ability to quickly transfer information, photos, or music to what amounts to basically a portable hard drive. What? Yeah, don't worry. A hard-workin, motorcycle-ridin, non-Macintosh-using Texan brings you a product review for technology fans who don't necessarily know much about technology.

Working for the Department of Defense is, generally speaking, a pretty good job. But as one software engineer discovers before heading home, little quirks like being quarantined for five hours due to a "biological threat" aren't exactly what you'd call perks. A true, first hand account of what turns out to be just another day at the D.O.D.

Ripon is a small town whose population barely exceeds ten thousand, and only a small percentage of those folk attend the Ripon Church of Christ. But a handful of people here in the States have made a tremendous difference on the other side of the world.

You have never made a quilt, have you? You have no idea what rotary cutters are, nor do you know what strip quilting means. You thought batting had something to do with baseball, bias was a form of discrimination, and that feed dogs was one of the kids' chores. Well, if you want to learn how to make an American Quilt, read another how-to. If you want to know the suffering you're in for once you decide to give it a try, check out these prophetic pointers.

With its "Christian health principles" approach, no solid foods for the first six days, and only raw, vegetarian foods after that, the Bella Vita Lifestyle Education Home sounded a bit radical, but Lynette Rubio was encouraged by word of mouth, especially from cancer patients who had experienced positive changes to their health from adopting Bella Vita practices.