Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in FYI.

To Survive on $2000
When Daryl and I decided to get married, the first concern on our mind wasn't where to have it or when. It was if we should actually get married. You see at the time I couldn't remember if my type of disability was SSI (Supplemental Security Income) or SSDI (Social Security Disability Income). You'd think everyone with a disability would be in the latter, but that's not the case.
By Karalynn Rowley5 years ago in FYI
Slavery History Unimagined
Slavery History Unimagined LIGHTNING STRIKES There was a day that I finally had a thought to myself, “that is enough.” With all that is going on around me and in this country and time, I needed a little bit more information. I decided to look into slavery in a general sense of the term instead of just sticking with and assuming truth on the information I grew up on and that was given to me. Sometimes the best thing you can do is that you just have to do things for yourself instead of believing what you hear. In other words, don’t always assume the knowledge that is obtained whether in your youth or as an adult is correct or more importantly is complete.
By Jessi G5 years ago in FYI
The truth about Facts
So for starters I am a big trivia buff. For many years my friends and I used to attend trivia at our local hotel every Tuesday evening. We would go there order the Tuesday dinner special, have a few drinks and catch up on everyone’s week before getting down to the serious business of winning some trivia prizes.
By AquAb C5 years ago in FYI
Little World
I look at the number on the screen, glowing solidly, confident in its existence although it had no reason to be-- it had no cause to exist.
By Ellen Farkas5 years ago in FYI
How the CPR Hudson locomotives became known as Royal Hudsons
This is the story about how the Canadian Pacific Railway came to be the only non-British railway to be allowed to use the term Royal for a locomotive.
By Craig Robertson5 years ago in FYI
What It Smells Like When Whales Blow
Dear God, While we do appreciate the magnificence of the whale in nature, and have for centuries benefited from the splendor of its many varied resources, not the least of which is ambergris, the miraculous and naturally sourced rare product of sperm whale turd used in perfumes, which has a higher value than gold by weight, we do have one primary complaint about these majestic creatures.
By Byron Hamel5 years ago in FYI
The Army's Other Language
A few years ago (in the blessed, pre-Covid days), I found myself in a pub quiz. No great surprise there - I love a quiz, as much as I love the pub.
By Christopher Donovan5 years ago in FYI
What's the problem with palm oil?
The other day while surfing the web I came across a comment warning people about palm oil in their vegan food staple alternatives. I went to my fridge and checked a few of my dairy-free alternatives to find that sure enough, my Becel vegan margarine used 6% palm oil. I was glad to see that my other products were seemingly safe from the “palm oil travesties”, but it makes you wonder – what other ingredients in these products could be harmful to the environment and to human rights? These vegan products are seen as being healthier and safer alternatives, but after some research, I began to question “If it has palm oil in it, is it really better than its dairy equivalent?”.
By Stephanie Morin5 years ago in FYI
Laws and Legal procedure for transfer of property after the death of the owner
Suppose an owner of a property is willing to transfer the ownership rights to someone during their lifetime, there are various instruments available through which he can transfer their title rights, such as, Gift Deed, Transfer Deed, Relinquishment Deed or Sale Deed, etc. However, if such property is not transferred during the lifetime of the owner in that case the legal heirs/beneficiaries can now get the property transferred by fulfilling the legal requirements and procedural formalities, depending on the mode of transfer. Some of the commonly known methods are Will, Sale deed, Partition deed, Family Settlement, Relinquishment deed, etc. However, just having the requisite papers is not enough; such a document must be genuine and valid.
By najovapost5 years ago in FYI
The Encounter
An Encounter After some time of quiet, he turned and looked me straight in the eye. I knew those eyes. I had never seen him but I remembered his eyes from some place of sometime of some dream. That was the beginning of the encounter.
By Ransom Towsley5 years ago in FYI
Nix v. Hedden
The tomato, is it a fruit or is it a vegetable? Those of us that are logically minded would say fruit because by definition fruits are the products that bloom from a plant. Whereas vegetables are the other parts of the plant; root, stem, leaf, etc. Those of us that are practically minded would say vegetable because culinarily speaking tomatoes have more of a savory taste and are used most commonly in a side dish or main course. The truth of the matter is that both parties are correct.
By Emma Barfield5 years ago in FYI
Burn The House Down. Top Story - March 2021.
“Really the only sure solution is to burn your house down and start over.” This was what my vet offered the day she handed back my cat with the proclamation: “Yep, he has fleas all right.” She saw my obvious distress. Already overwhelmed, here was another thing to deal with. I almost cried. I don’t think I actually cried. I might have. As much as I love my children and love how much they love their cats, I will admit that I did not anticipate the trials of feline ownership. Trapped is how I felt. Helpless to rid ourselves of either the fleas or the cats. “Once you have them, you pretty much have them forever. Until you move or burn the house down.” My vet is practical and very matter of fact. She is pragmatic and I initially accepted her prognosis as gospel. Driving home my shoulders slumped. “We can never have friends over ever again.” I mumbled to myself. “We have fleas.” “Damn Cats! Why did I ever get cats for my kids? And now I can’t just get rid of their cats.” Like a mouse on a sticky trap trying desperately to wrestle myself free, I felt like the world’s dumbest parent. There must be a solution. People have cats. I know tons of people with cats and other pets. Surely they don’t just live with fleas for their whole lives. By the time I got home I was ready to armor up!
By Maria Calderoni5 years ago in FYI