Since 1993
Fran's Featured Story of the Month
Hail to the Peeps
Sam Born knew candy like Steve Jobs knew computers. He invented Jimmies – the chocolate bits sprinkled on ice cream and donuts, a machine to insert sticks into lollipops, and the hard chocolate coating used in Eskimo Pies. When he bought out a rival company in 1953, he liked one candy in particular. It was a little yellow marshmallow treat in the shape of a baby chick – called PEEPS. He thought it might be a good seller at Easter, but he never imagined that PEEPS would become not only a staple of every self-respecting Easter basket but a pop culture icon spawning websites, videos, blogs, recipes, and dozens of art exhibitions and contests using PEEPS as the artistic medium.
A Ghoulish Goodbye
The zombie arrives about 9 o’clock, blown in by a wind as cold as the bony touch of a skeleton’s fingers. His hands—except for the extra one—are jammed into his pockets. That severed limb is stuck under his arm. Read More
Béla Bácsi
Bela Bacsi uses humor as an invitation to engage his sculptures. While some contemporary art can seem intimidating or esoteric to the viewer, Bacsi's humor often suggests... Read More
Ascot Time
It’s a tailgate party unlike any other. But it’s an event until any other: the week-long Royal Ascot racing meeting. Scheduled for June 14-17, Ascot gives Britons one last chance for a proper garden party... Read More
The Culinary CIA
I have been to the CIA and explored its inner sanctum. [...] I have experienced the results of their work – the sauteés, the sauces, the soufleés... Read More
Fetal Surgery
Like any normal ten-month old baby, William Talmage Shuford IV is starting to crawl, beginning to teeth, and is “learning to blow raspberries,”... Read More
Picking A Winner
Launching a new product means spending a fortune in packaging and design, but what about the name? The right brand name or trademark can determine if... Read More
Next Steps...
A freelancer with the ability and interest to write about everything from street luging to the final flight of the F-111. I have over 200 credits in international, national, and regional magazines and newspapers, plus a portfolio of business materials — brochures, marketing plans, contract proposals. I’ve done stints in the government and corporate world — as the first PR Director for the Maryland Office of Tourism and as the Community Relations Director for the Upper Chesapeake Health System — so I am familiar and comfortable with both of those occasionally daunting and confusing worlds.
I’m a stickler for accuracy, efficiency, and timeliness. My job is to deliver well-written copy that is spot on to your specs, on-time and on-budget.
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