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Curtis Jerry Smothers
Teacher . Editor . Poet . Writing Coach . Historian . Online Tutor
Friday's Featured Article
Each Friday, I’ll reach into the shelves of my website and select one article for another turn in the spotlight. It might be history, technology, theater, sports, memoir, humor, or something completely unexpected. Some pieces are recent; others were written years ago and have been updated for today. Friday’s Featured Article is an invitation to discover—or rediscover—one selection from a lifetime of writing. Enjoy the read, and follow the link to explore the complete collection where it original
Featured Article: The Advantages of Joining the Military
The Advantages of Joining the Military Service to Country, Opportunities for Life By Curtis Jerry Smothers, LCDR, USN (Ret.) Introduction: More Than a Job What does a young person gain by joining the military? A steady paycheck, education, medical care, travel opportunities, and perhaps a retirement pension are certainly attractive possibilities. But military service offers something that is harder to measure: the opportunity to develop discipline, accept responsibility,
Curtis Jerry Smothers
4 days ago9 min read
Featured Article: Your Everyday Cyber Checklist-7 Habits that matter
The Everyday Cybersecurity Checklist Seven Habits That Matter Cybersecurity can become complicated very quickly. Professionals worry about network architecture, encryption protocols, software vulnerabilities and attack methods with names that sound as though they belong in a spy novel. Fortunately, the ordinary computer user doesn't need to master any of that. Most successful personal cybersecurity comes down to a handful of habits. None is difficult, expensive or particularl
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Oct 95 min read
Featured Article: Benedict Arnold's Plot
Benedict Arnold: The Plot to Betray West Point October 2, 1780 Today the name Benedict Arnold is practically a synonym for “traitor.” Yet Arnold did not begin the American Revolution as a villain. He began it as one of the Continental Army’s most aggressive and courageous commanders. His transformation from American hero to British officer remains one of the strangest stories of the Revolution. And on October 2, 1780, another man paid with his life for Arnold’s treason.
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Oct 23 min read
Earn While You Learn: Skilled Trades as a Powerful Alternative to a Four-Year Degree
Skilled trades and apprenticeship programs offer second-chance workers paid training, valuable credentials, and a practical path toward a stable future. A four-year college degree remains an indispensable pathway to many professions. It opens doors to careers in medicine, law, engineering, education, and numerous other fields. For people whose interests and goals call for a degree, college can be an excellent investment. College, however, is not the right choice—or the only g
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Sep 185 min read
Featured Post: America's Response to 9/11
Twenty-five years ago, the attacks of September 11, 2001, transformed America. At the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 2,977 people were killed. Grief quickly became a national resolve: prevent another attack and pursue those responsible.
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Sep 113 min read
Humor: Lose Weight Without Really Trying
I know how to lose weight. What you do is burn more calories than you eat. This is apparently a fundamental law of nature, although people forget it all the time.
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Sep 46 min read
Computers and the Definition of Insanity
Computers are wonderful devices. They save time, simplify our lives, put the world's information at our fingertips—and periodically reduce perfectly rational adults to repeatedly clicking the same button while muttering threats at an inanimate object.
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Aug 286 min read
Remembering the Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters were not originally from Harlem, nor were they originally named the Globetrotters. Their first team name was the New York Harlem GlobeTrotters, and they were a team of professional Black basketball players who toured southern Illinois during the 1920's.
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Aug 213 min read
Remembering the Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters were not originally from Harlem, nor were they originally named the Globetrotters. Their first team name was the New York Harlem GlobeTrotters, and they were a team of professional Black basketball players who toured southern Illinois during the 1920's.
Curtis Jerry Smothers
Aug 213 min read
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