An anagram of a word or phrase is another word or phrase containing exactly the same letters, no more and no less. Given the enormous number of ways letters can be rearranged, it is usually possible to find an anagram appropriately descriptive of the original word. The letters in a phrase as short as “moldy shoes” can be rearranged as “Sol-shy demo,” which could be interpreted to mean a demonstration of what happens when your shoes are left in a dark place.

The Internet Anagram Server can take phrases of medium length and output thousands of possibilities within seconds, saving quite a lot of work. Then you just have to browse the list to find the ones that aren’t nonsense.

Names are especially great for plugging into the server to see what comes out. Clint Eastwood becomes Old West Action. Daniel Edward Noe becomes A Renowned Laddie. That sounds about right. Let me know what your name tells you.

Have you ever read a comic strip and been confused what was going on? Alex Norris makes comics where everything is labeled so you will never have that problem again, breaking life down into its simplest. Characters do actions with things that lead to results. It is a comic that anyone who does actions with things can relate to.

I discovered Sylvia Engdahl on the Independent Authors Network. She writes the Children Of The Star trilogy, made up of three books (This Star Shall Abide, Beyond The Tomorrow Mountains, The Doors Of The Universe) previously published traditionally.

​Children Of The Star might be the best novel I’ve read since Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov. It is my new favorite. It is similar in many respects. There is a mysterious and reclusive group (the scholars) subtly guiding society. There is mention of telepathy. There are secrets that must never be told or else they would endanger the survival of the entire human race. There are secrets inside of secrets inside of other secrets wrapped around and twisted through still other secrets. Everybody has secrets they aren’t telling the others.

It goes much further than sociology and political science. The book is heavy on spirituality. The main character, Noren, learns through his heartbreaks the meaning of faith in a way I would not have even understood myself just six years ago. There are also moral dilemmas on every other page, such as when and when not to interfere in the affairs of other cultures, reminiscent of the prime directive from Star Trek.

The only thing I can say against the book is that at times it seemed to drag just a bit while Noren thought through every possible facet of an issue before making a decision. The book is more philosophy than action. At the same time, this additional detail really helped me to identify with the character and feel everything he went through. In the end, it becomes worth it.

Engdahl also makes excellent use of foreshadowing.

Many times I have read a blog post or come across a piece of art so great that I want to reward the artist in some way – even if I have neither the full amount of money to buy the artwork nor the space to keep it. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could “tip” those who deliver us so much for free?

There is a new way to support people at Patreon.com. By signing up and agreeing to a small monthly charge, your money will help struggling artists, musicians, and writers pay their bills, allow them to continue enriching the world, encouraging, inspiring, and entertaining us, and will allow them to in turn support others to also know the joy of giving. You can peruse the website for artists that fit your tastes or promote ideals you agree with. It’s not a hand-out because these people are working hard on their material. There are generally also some perks for those who join. Think of it as paying dues to a fan club.

There are many people not cut out for regular jobs that have great talent or at least something to contribute that would normally end up on Welfare or SSI Disability. The National Endowment for the Arts helps some people too, but Patreon replaces government spending with voluntary sponsorships. Only a very few artists will make it big and become millionaire authors or “indie” moviemakers. Patreon helps everyone else. Some make just enough for art supplies. Some make just enough to live on. Some make more.

I write stories. I write science fiction shorts at ChampionOfTheGalaxy.com and accounts of my real-world travels at WayOutLife.com, along with poetry and musings on life, love, science, and spirituality. I also draw and post pictures of alien life forms to FloraAndFaunaOfTheUniverse.com. My Patreon page is Patreon.com/championofthegalaxy
Please check it out.

​This company will take your child’s wacky creature drawings and create large stuffed toys based on them. They can do the same for photos of your pets or people you know. It’s expensive, but a small price to pay to make your imaginary friends real and ensure your dolls and stuffed animals will be unique. This idea is too cool. I have got to do this someday.

Young Nudists America, based in the New-York-Pennsylvania area, promotes healthy attitudes and practices regarding social nudity through the website YoungNaturistsAmerica.com. The website has many blogs and articles explaining the philosophy of naturism and reviewing naked events. There is also a page of affiliated resorts, beaches, and campgrounds around the country. It’s worth a look.

How does money work? What causes inflation? Why are things so expensive? Do we really need a central banking system? If currency enters the economic system only by being lent at interest, and society pays all of the money back it borrowed, where does the money come from to pay off the interest? If newly printed money is not earned, what justifies it being given only to a select few? Louis Even explains things in very simple terms so that anybody can understand and offers an alternative to the debt-money systems used by most countries. It’s an interesting and thought-provoking read.

​Just a gal and her guy posting accounts of their adventures backpacking around Asia, Indonesia, and South America. The Endless Adventures has some of the most amazingly beautiful photographs I have ever seen.

If you have ever been curious about where life came from and the differing schools of thought on the subject, two great resources to get an overview of the debate are TalkOrigins and TrueOrigin.

TrueOrigin details arguments against the current mainstream geology, cosmology, and biology and explains intelligent design and young-Earth creationism.

TalkOrigins exists mainly as a rebuttal to every argument in the TrueOrigin archives. Both websites give much to think about.

This great webpage has a list of places throughout the world open to the public for stargazing. These places are far from city lights so that the reflection from natural dust and moisture in the air do not wash out the dimmest stars. They have among the darkest skies on land. Many more stars are visible than will ever be near an illuminated city. They are great places to watch a rare meteor shower or to bring a telescope to see Saturn’s rings.

What would you look for?