Charles van Heck's Woodhull Journal

October 2025

  • Sundance and the Search for an Alternative Education

    The arrival of autumn brings out the bookish aspect of my nature. The responsibilities for coursework found in freshly printed syllabi, the necessity of meeting a professor’s deadlines, revising lectures, and meeting new students have long passed for me. I… Continue reading

  • Random Thoughts: Gibson, Parkinson’s, Space Mirrors, Skunks, and Words

    Thirty-seven years ago, on 15 October, Kirk Gibson stepped up to home plate in Dodger Stadium in Game 1 of the World Series between the Dodgers and the Oakland Athletics. He was suffering from a swollen, shredded ligament in his… Continue reading

  • A Baker’s Tale

    Take an early morning walk down Evoraberg’s Main Street when the only stoplight in town is flashing yellow. The glow of street lights create haloes on the road. Darkened storefront display windows stare empty-eyed as if in a trance. A… Continue reading

  • Remembering Susan

    I fell in love with her voice.  A raspy voice, the type of voice that made me want to pull up a chair at the kitchen table. “Have some cranberry relish,” she might be saying, as she did every Thanksgiving.… Continue reading

  • The American Cyrus and the Week that Was

    This week began on Monday with the release of Israeli hostages. Joy marred by loss, sorrow, the memories of those who were killed on 7 October, the Israeli soldiers wounded and killed in Gaza, the hostages returned earlier, and those… Continue reading

  • Fail Safe in an AI World

    “Things are in the saddle and ride mankind.” Emerson This October 16th through the 28th marks the 63rd anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. For thirteen days, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. On the sixth day… Continue reading

  • Dilexi Te:The Invisible Among Us

    The other evening, my wife arrived home with bags of groceries from the market that we will donate to a food bank for distribution. An act of kindness. A moral imperative. More importantly, an expression of love and faith. And… Continue reading

  • Diversity, Freedom and the Chorus for Union

    Those who know me are aware that I firmly believe in the separation of Church and State. Christian nationalists irritate me with their bending and misinterpretation of the Gospels. They misconstrue the Constitution and misconceive their liberties to fit their… Continue reading

  • The Whispers Grow Louder: Democracy at a Tipping Point

    We have been hearing whispers coming from the White House about invoking the Insurrection Act over the past eight months. Regretfully, the whispers have grown louder. Joseph Nunn of the Brennan Center for Justice has written an informative article explaining… Continue reading

  • Living in the Virtual World

    Early one morning, I took a virtual stroll (more accurately, scroll) through the village of Richburg, New York. An article in The Wellsville Sun about a house on the market precipitated my walk. I decided to stop by the cemetery… Continue reading