I watched the Ken Burns series, The American Revolution. It is his usual outstanding and comprehensive documentary film. The American Revolution is 12 hours long (six 2-hour segments) and provides us with an intimate view of Revolutionary times. 

It is not an understatement to state that this was one of the most important revolutions in history. America’s Democracy has been successful for almost 250 years and spawned revolutions throughout the world. The Declaration of Independence often served as the framework.

Most of us think of the Revolution as a time when Americans united to create the great experiment, Democracy, home rule by the people. We were taught that Americans rose up en-masse to create a government that allowed for independence, equal representation, and religious freedom for all. But the documentary makes clear that the American Revolution was actually a civil war. Americans who wanted to remain under British rule (called Tories) fought against those who wanted self-government (Patriots). Other Americans excluded from the democracy fought against the Patriots.

This was freedom for white men only, with a preference for educated property owners. The American Revolution excluded enslaved people, native Americans, and women, thereby encouraging indigenous and enslaved people to fight with the British. There were columns of soldiers with enslaved people, native Americans, and Tories that battled the Patriots.

In the Dunmore Act in 1775, enslaved men were offered freedom if they fought for the crown. Understandably, most of the enslaved population who fought in the Revolutionary War battled on the British side.

Most Native Americans, seeing how Patriots were usurping their land, sided with the British, who guaranteed their lands outside of the current colonies.

Women were never even considered, despite Abigail Adams’ pleas. They courageously followed their husbands in the war. Women tended to the wounded, buried the dead, cooked the meals, cared for the children, and in some instances, actually participated in the fighting.

It took centuries to include those who were excluded in our Democracy. The repercussions to indigenous people, women, and enslaved people are felt today.

But the point remains the same, we talk about how fractious and dangerous America is now (in fact, one Trump supporter has a sign that reads “All Hail King Trump”). It is important to remember that America has often been divided and fractious. It is the nature of a Democracy that gives representation to all, regardless of property or education. But, when speaking up and taking a stand, the country has usually pointed to independence, freedom, separation of church and state, and government by the majority.

It keeps me hopeful.

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Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Thanksgiving is the most popular holiday in the United States. Since it is not tied to a particular religion, people of all religions and ethnic groups celebrate it. Thanksgiving may also be the most tradition-rich holiday. Its traditions are typically centered around gratitude, giving back, family and friends, food, and football.

Despite historical stories about the feast between Pilgrims and Native Americans, it is actually a holiday that was initiated during the Civil War. In 1863, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to boost soldier’s morale. President Lincoln assigned the holiday to the last Thursday in November, perhaps to coincide with the date the Pilgrims first landed the Mayflower in New England. In 1941, FDR signed a bill making the fourth Thursday in November its official date, regardless of whether it’s the last Thursday of the month or not.

Our traditional meal is different from the original feast. Although there are few records detailing the original menu, it is believed that the Pilgrims brought local fowl and the Wampanoag brought deer. Pumpkin, lobster, and seal were probably also included in the feast. It is not known if the pumpkins were in pie form, but we know that people have been baking pumpkin pies since the 1600s. 

There is a fun fact associated with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving leftovers led to the invention of TV dinners. In 1953, apparently Swanson overestimated how much turkey would be consumed on Thanksgiving. So, using 5,000 aluminum trays and an assembly line of hand-packers they created a Thanksgiving-inspired meal with turkey, cornbread dressing, gravy, peas, and sweet potatoes. In the first full year of production, they sold ten million trays.

Thanksgiving is known for its customs and traditions. First and foremost, it is a gathering of friends and family to a feast, often turkey, with sides of yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, stuffing, cranberry, and pumpkin and apple pies.

The theme of Thanksgiving is gratitude. Some participate in Turkey Trots for charity, others volunteer at a soup kitchen, or simply reflect on what they are grateful for. Football and parades provide entertainment.

I am grateful for Thanksgiving. It is a welcoming event because I come from a large family. Our Thanksgiving meal is hosted by my sister who accommodates as many as 45 people. Thanksgiving, for us, begins on Wednesday when we commence baking. Our houses are festive and the air is filled with spices as we bake sides and desserts for the turkey and ham feast. On Thanksgiving day, my sister’s house is a din of laughter and happy conversation as we catch up and share our blessings. The house is warm and inviting, strewn with flowers and smells of turkey and spices. The side table is laden with pies and desserts and all around are appetizers. The feast lasts all day as some of us watch football and others just catch up at the dinner table.

I love our Thanksgivings, but I am also wary that each celebration may be the last. Our children who live far away may soon wish to start their own. At some point, we will become too old to do the cooking and host. It makes each celebration more valuable.

I wrote a column about traditions a couple of weeks ago. Thanksgiving is full of traditions, but…what happens when the children can no longer come or we move away from them, or our family dwindles down due to death and divorce? Many people reminisce about how wonderful traditional memories are, but memories bring me sadness rather than joy. Memories make me miss what used to be. 

When this happens, many create new traditions. Some people have a Friendsgiving. Friendsgiving is a combination of “friends” and “Thanksgiving” that refers to a large meal shared with friends on Thanksgiving Day. 

For those who are lucky enough to have their spouses, the two can start a tradition of preparing a special meal together and visiting with friends and family remotely.

My philosophy is to move forward. This year my daughter and son-in-law can’t be there for Christmas, another holiday with our own traditions. They will be on a special trip to Egypt, so it is my responsibility to create my own tradition. Our friends in Key West have established a tradition on Christmas Eve where we bicycle to see the Christmas lights. I haven’t decided what Christmas day will be. It may be just a celebration with my dogs…but I will create a tradition which keeps me moving forward.

This column is scheduled to appear on Thanksgiving, so I hope that this finds you enjoying old or building new traditions. 

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Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Since recorded history, people have looked to nature for knowledge. Today, the study of animals, insects, and plants has led to inventions such as improved solar panels, bird-safe glass, medical glue, and efficient wind turbines. The combination of basic research of nature and engineering applications is called bioinspiration as scientists and engineers collaborate on learning and applying nature’s secrets.

Despite the innovations, the future of bioinspiration is uncertain due to 55% budget cuts to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The funds remaining have been directed to AI and quantum computing. 

There are many examples of present technology that we have gained from basic knowledge of nature. For example, by studying barnacles, scientists have developed new glues that create strong, waterproof adhesives for underwater use and medical applications, such as wound closure.

We all have been annoyed by burrs on our clothing. But this led to the invention of Velcro. Back in the 1940s, a Swiss inventor George de Mestral was curious about burdock burrs that stuck to his pants and his dog’s fur. He studied the burrs under a microscope and discovered thousands of tiny hooks. This insight and the use of nylon allowed him to develop a new kind of fastener, which he called Velcro. 

When engineers in Japan created high-speed trains in the 1980s and 1990s, they encountered some problems with noise. When high-speed trains reached a tunnel exit, they created a sonic boom. Engineers discovered that kingfisher birds dive into the water at high speed and their beaks slip noiselessly into the water without so much as a splash. So, they modeled their trains after the kingfisher’s beak and solved the noise problem. 

Butterflies offer several promising technological advances. Scientists have discovered cocoonase, an enzyme found in Bombyx and various butterflies and moths, which can break down blood clots. Another breakthrough involves adopting the wing design of the Blue Morpho butterfly. This allows researchers and engineers to generate an ultra-black material that boosts solar panel efficiency by 130%. 

Researchers are looking at a protein called fibroin in silk for potential medical applications. By dissolving the fibroin protein in water and subsequently removing the water, they can create a versatile substance that is flexible for bandages or as hard as Kevlar for medical implants and screws. Because it is a natural material, it does not trigger inflammatory responses, making it well-suited for medicine. 

Knowledge of whales has resulted in the redesigning ship hulls. Humpback whales have massive size knobs on the edge of their fins called tubercles. Scientists discovered that these tubercles keep by keeping water flowing smoothly over their fins, generating extra lift. The technology has been adopted to improve wind turbine blades, industrial ceiling fans, truck mirrors and even surfboards.

Sharkskin has a special pattern that helps them keep clean of algae and other hitch-hiking sea creatures. NASA copied the pattern to create a coating that was used on American sailing boats in the Olympics to help them glide faster through the water. The technology is also used for some competitive swimsuits.

Lotus leaves stay clean thanks to microscopic textures that repel water and dirt. Now there is a whole generation of self-cleaning paints, windows, fabrics, and solar panels that reduce grime buildup and cut down on maintenance.

Spider webs reflect ultraviolet (UV) light, which birds can see (but we cannot). This prevents birds from flying into spider webs. Using this principle, architects and engineers have developed glass with UV-reflective patterns to reduce bird strikes. The technology is now being used in office buildings, transit stations, and even residential homes.

Geckos climb smooth surfaces using sticky toes covered with hundreds of thousands of tiny hairs that create weak molecular attractions. Geckos can stick firmly and still lift their feet easily. Inspired by this, scientists made a fabric that mimics gecko feet; a piece the size of an index card can hold over 700 pounds on glass without leaving marks.

Termite mounds have been researched for both their ecological significance in the wild and their principles of construction have been applied to architecture. Modern buildings incorporate passive cooling systems inspired by termite mounds, employing ventilation techniques to maintain consistent indoor temperatures.

Adaptive camouflage refers to a camouflage that can alter its appearance based on the environment. Scientists developed this technology by learning how cephalopods (such as octopuses) adjust both their color and texture to match their surroundings.

The honeycomb pattern created by bees when building their hives has many applications. Every day we see its use in packaging materials and building construction.

There are many more technologies and medicines that we have developed from the study of nature. But the point is simple. We can learn from it, but it requires funding.

Let’s hope that funding for this research restarts soon.

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Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Every year I host a Gingerbread house party. Our children and their children each decorate a gingerbread house. Most of my large family participates. This year, I am making 30 houses. Actually, the number is 28, but I am making 30 to account for breakage. That’s right 30. And, no, my house is not big enough to host 28 people, we will be placing gingerbread houses on end tables, putting tables in the living room and even moving outside in order to accommodate the number of participants.

These are not the beautiful gingerbread houses that you see in competitions. Instead, they are an assortment of mistakes, each gingerbread house contains at least one section where the piping slipped, or the house started to teeter before settling down in a rickety state. But, by the time they are decorated with candy, they look great.

Gingerbread houses have a long history, especially in Europe. They began in Germany in the 1600s, and they became even more popular with the Grimm brothers’ publication of Hansel and Gretel in 1812. The custom was brought to the United States by German immigrants. 

Today, creating gingerbread houses is a popular Christmas tradition. And with most hobbies, there are competitions. The premier event is the National Gingerbread House Competition in Asheville, NC: It features an impressive display of creative, magnificent gingerbread designs that go beyond simple houses.

There are also local competitions. On the Eastern Shore, one gingerbread house competition is hosted in St Michaels, MD in December by Christmas in St. Michaels. The gingerbread entries are divided into seven categories and feature prizes for: Master Chefs, Adults, Young Adults, Children (12 and under), Children with Adults, Kit-Made Houses, and Non-Profit Organizations. The Christmas in St. Michaels weekend for 2025 is scheduled for December 12-14. 

None of our creations will wind up in the competition, but there is something wholesome about building gingerbread houses. First, it is loads of fun. The rule of gingerbread house construction is that all elements in the display must be edible. The candies and edible components are “stuck” onto the houses and their background using royal icing.

It is fun to watch the children’s eyes widen when they see the room full of candy. They get to select which candy they will use to decorate their gingerbread houses. Their creations typically lack a theme, except that perhaps the theme being “everything I love pasted onto the house.” 

One year I had a disaster where the houses got rained upon and one had a hole in the roof. One of my grand nephews immediately grabbed that house and filled it with candy that he snacked on for the rest of the season.

The adults are more measured. They create beautiful homes using themes of colors and shapes.

In the end, all of the houses are colorful and make me smile.

Throughout the party the adults get lattes or mimosas depending on their creative mood and there are bagels and quiche. It is organized chaos when the decorating begins, as adults help their children gather their candies and look the other way when they sneak them into their mouths. Then the adults help their children put the icing and candies on the gingerbread houses. After taking care of their children, it is time for their own designs. They make those dysfunctional gingerbread houses dazzle. My daughter and her husband are equal partners in the party and also do 99% of the cleanup. (That is a tradition that I REALLY like.)

This is my holiday tradition, and I look forward to it every year. I think that traditions are what make holidays special. Without traditions, the holidays would be like any other vacation day. Thanksgiving is a holiday known for its traditions. These traditions allow us to reminisce and make our lives a little bit more enjoyable.

Everyone has their traditions and if you don’t, perhaps you can create some. And I hope that yours are as memorable and enjoyable as mine.

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Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Some of my favorite sounds of autumn are the sounds from football. The ratatat percussion section of the college marching band. Spectators shout, cheer, or groan after each play. The announcer’s scratchy voice over the loudspeaker explains each play and its key participants. At halftime, the marching band prances throughout the field with coordinated instruments that belt out loud, familiar tunes. There is always a low hum from the crowd. 

I am an avid football fan. Not just because I love the game, but because football games were our family time. Every Sunday, I would go to church and volunteer at animal adoption, while my daughter went to the barn to ride, and my husband would relax and prepare our favorite appetizers. Then we would gather together and watch football.

But up until recently, I have been very conflicted over college football.

The monopolistic grip of the NCAA used kept young athletes in an almost slavish status. Large football schools would make large sums of money off football, both in donations and ticket sales. But players, who gave their body and their youth to this sport, used to be given only a scholarship. While colleges pay coaches multi-million-dollar salaries, their players could not afford meals. If students were injured (as many are), they would lose their scholarship and be left with nothing but a broken body. If they failed to graduate during their eligibility period (which is challenging because playing football is a full-time job), they left without a degree.

That all changed. Because college athletes fought back.

There were two drivers to this change. 

The first important change was Name, Image, and Likeness, called NIL. After an athlete discovered that his picture was used to promote a game, he sued the NCAA for compensation under anti-trust laws. The NCAA argued the canard that student athletes should be unpaid amateurs, and the schools should keep all of the revenue. The NCAA lost when the Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that athletes can be compensated. Since then, a number of states (including Maryland) have passed laws that allow athletes to make money on sponsorships and advertising. Many of these players grew up in poverty and will not get to play in the NFL; this will be the only money they may earn from years of effort and sacrifice.

The NCAA also changed their rules about student athlete eligibility and tuition. Recent NCAA rules protect athletic scholarships from being canceled due to injury, loss of ability, or poor performance. Now student athletes will have their tuition paid despite injury or the inability to complete their degree during the eligibility period. Student athletes are now eligible for scholarships while they are in graduate school. 

The other major change that has allowed student athletes to take control of their careers is the Transfer Portal. Before the Transfer Portal was implemented, a college student was stuck with his initial choice. The NCAA prohibited players who transferred from playing for a year. After another lawsuit, they dropped that provision. Now college athletes can change schools via the Transfer Portal if they feel they are not being treated properly. So, players who do not feel they are given adequate playing time, NIL compensation, are not pleased with the academics, or do not get along with the coaching staff can transfer to a different school.

Student athletes can now be compensated and have control over which school they go to. For many students, the income raised in NIL is very important to them and their parents. 

Admittedly, this new system has a potential for fraud. In order to fund NIL, collectives have been formed by boosters that generate funds. These collectives provide compensation funds for athletes. Most states and the NCAA have a rule that students are compensated for additional activities, such as teaching, signing autographs, promoting merchandise, etc. beyond their participation in sports.

Student athletes especially those in football and basketball, often use agents. Agents can be helpful by negotiating deals and finding sources of revenue. However, unscrupulous agents can take a larger percentage of funds than is allowed by the National Football League (NFL).

There is a concern that the collective will be used to recruit students by offering high value recruits a guaranteed amount of money in NIL. This has been declared illegal by the NCAA, but policing it at this point is very difficult. Likewise in the transfer portal, students can be offered NIL funds to select a certain school.  

The NCAA can no longer keep students in servitude. The athletes are now not taken advantage of by a system that uses them for football or basketball and then discards them when their college career is over.

The issues will be sorted out over time. And it’s certainly true that the richer schools will get the better athletes. But the important issue is that now the players have the power and control over their careers. And the NCAA will have to represent both the players and the higher institutions. 

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Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.

Autumn season has a chaotic sequence to it. While spring is a predictable progression of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees, autumn is more disjointed. Autumn begins with warmth and ends with a cold sterility preparing us for the long winter nights and short days. In September it tries to keep its grip onto summer weather, with warm, sweet days. Then it jumps to cold mornings, frost on pumpkins, steam rising from waterways. Fall is mostly a transition from lazy summer days to cold winters that will arrive whether we like it or not.

Autumn has its own soundtrack. There is the rustle from leaves being swept across the pavement, and the crunch from dead leaves as we swish through them. There are the squirrels climbing around the trees gathering nuts. 

Canada geese honk loudly while flying in V formations to warmer climes. There are piercing blast and reverberations from shotguns and rifles. Occasionally I hear some crow caws notifying their kin of a newly harvested field. Or starlings summoning their clan to begin their spectacular, trance-inducing murmurations. In the evening and morning, the rhythmic percussion sounds of the locusts replace the chirps of birds.

The air is dryer and crisper, so the engine noises from machines are louder and more differentiated. The thumping motorcycle engines and ambulances reverberate through my home. The sounds from clattering farm equipment slowly wind through the streets. The high-pitched chatter and laughter of children at the end of the school day echoes throughout the town.

Darkness takes over light as the oncoming winter looms. Mornings are dark. I walk my dogs with my hands in my pockets. Rather than a slow meandering walk, I walk briskly, anxious to get back inside to the warmth. My dogs also feel the cold and do their business quickly. Nights arrive sooner. On occasion, a large harvest moon hovers over the horizon.

The baby animals have grown into adult animals preparing for the winter. Birds from my bird feeder have retreated to the woods or flown to warmer climes.

Bright summer colors are replaced with subtle oranges, russet reds, and yellows as plants die, and trees prepare for the oncoming winter. Evergreens take a darker tint when the sap retreats to the trunks. Instead of growing, gardening becomes cutting down flowers, now brown, and raking brown and yellow leaves. The clean landscape is replaced by messy leaves and plants going to seed.

Scents transform from floral to heavy spices, pumpkin spice, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves prevail. The dusty odor from dry leaves and mold and the smell of burning ash from newly opened fireplaces puffs through the air.

Food changes to stews, noodles, squashes, root vegetables, potatoes, and soups. Warm, soft foods replace the cool salads of the summer. Dinner scents fill the air as the time-consuming tomato sauces, stews, and soups simmer. Melons are replaced by crisp apples. Desserts transform from frozen ice cream to pies and pumpkin spiced everything.

Autumn also brings unique holidays. Halloween with its candy and costumes. Thanksgiving has the smells of home, turkey, ham and familiar scents. 

Unlike most people, I don’t care for autumn. The outside work is tedious, raking leaves and watching plants die. Everything is in preparation for closing the outdoors from the cold. But there is always football. So, enjoy the fall holidays and remember that spring is just another season away.

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Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.