Can We Talk Now?

Really, it's true, we don't have to yell.

I think it's time we stop ignoring the 800lb angry transvestite in the room. And I use that analogy purposefully. There is a lot of unnecessary drama going on here right now. But if we're going to talk, then we must talk honestly and openly. And if we are going to accomplish anything with gun control, we must also talk rationally. And if we're going to talk rationally we will need some history. Nothing erupts wholly new upon us. It came from somewhere. Popular opinions on guns are just another example. So, let's bust out our propeller beanies and take a trip in our time machine back to 1871. That was the year that writer and editor William … [Read more...]

Yo Pope, Peeps Dis!

People who have fought for centuries for rights for themselves suddenly seem very happy to deny those self-same rights to others. This is known as stupid. And counterproductive. When people read in the Bible that Peter was martyred or that Paul was martyred they neglect to figure out that they were martyred because their beliefs were considered criminal. Oh, for those who are being home-schooled, "martyred" means killed. Usually in a very public and painful way. In the cases of Peter and Paul, those two wacky cats who were there for the whole loaves and fishes thing and were lauded in the New Testament, they were martyred not because they … [Read more...]

Happy Holidays (if you’re into that sort of thing)

House music was invented in Chicago. Just another bit of trivia to make you proud.

As smarter minds than mine have noticed, if there's a war on Christmas, Christmas is winning. And some people are pretty darn angry about it. I actually had a lady growl a "Merry Christmas" at me and when I returned the greeting she looked stunned. She was really trying to start a fight over that phrase. That, ladies and gentleman, is a sad little mind. So let's move on. My pal Marion Enstrom sent me a link that is a nice summation of stuff you should know about Christmas. The one thing it glosses over I already covered so you won't be missing useful knowledge. As you know one great tradition is caroling. Also known as wassailing. The history … [Read more...]

Skool Daze

It's okay mom, we're just doing our homework.

A long time ago in a land far far away, I went to school. We learned the three R's, readin'-'ritin' & 'ritmatic, and got our first real introduction to the arts. Back then education had one purpose, clearly defined, and that was to make American children the best in the world. That meant providing them with a well rounded education and access to the best of everything when it came to higher learning. Enrico Fermi's work on the atomic bomb didn't happen in some secret underground lab, it happened at the University of Illinois (Chicago). NASA'a work on rocket engines? Mostly done in colleges. Modern art, experimental music and so on all came … [Read more...]

Great Minds Do Not Think Alike. Great Minds Think.

One drop canoodium, one drop sexium, one drop ....

L. Ron Hubbard once said that the concept of twisting two pieces of metal together and calling them an egg beater, before any said "egg beater" had been invented, was the definition of science fiction. L. Ron Hubbard was an idiot. All it is is a new method for doing a common task. He was also, as has been noted here before, a racist and a lousy writer. The Church of Scientology, a diseased piece of crap he founded when reality proved too hard, describes Hubbard in glowing terms as a pioneering explorer, world traveler, and nuclear physicist with expertise in a wide range of disciplines, including photography, art, poetry, and philosophy. His … [Read more...]

That Annoying Truth Stuff

Back in 2008, with nothing better to do, the Colfax Record, a digital compendium of local stories and discount coupons focused on the wonderful world of Colfax California (Emma and Bob got engaged last week), tossed an article on their site about same sex marriage. It appears to have been meant as a sane look at historical fact. The author wasn't credited and the original has since been removed. But, thanks to the internet, the article lives on. And on and on and on. It is a fascinating bit of writing. Simple, coherent and devoid of any hyperbole. It starts with the premise that same sex unions have been around longer than Christianity, and … [Read more...]

The Magic Number?

If you happen to be a prestidigitating paraskevidekatriaphobic then today is wrought with horrible magic for you. For the rest of us it’s another day that’s just as good or bad as any other. Today, if you watch the news, you will be assaulted with lists of all the horrible things that have happened on Friday the 13th through the years. The first will be the fall of the Knights Templar at the duplicitous hands of King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V on Friday the 13th in October of 1307. That one’s a juicy one since it features the only publically recorded curse attributed to God. Jacques de Molay, as he was about to be burned at … [Read more...]

Really? Love Will Kill the World?

Just for the record, I am not homosexual. That being said, I still like musicals and the occasional flavored tea. I point this out because, as we learned from Ron White the other day, all men are gay. It's just a matter of degree. In other words, being afraid of gay people is, when you think about it rationally, like being afraid of yourself. When I get up in the morning and shave the - mildly acceptable - mug I see in the mirror it may not win beauty prizes but it doesn't scare me. All in all I'm pretty comfortable being me. Because of that I'm pretty comfortable around other people too. I'm not a fan of crowds but, other than that, I'm … [Read more...]

Sing a Little Holiday Song

I promised my co-host Ryan Gatenby that, when we did our Christmas special this coming Friday at 9:10 AM on WBIG 1280 AM, I would have uplifting stuff to discuss. Or, if not uplifting, at least not patently offensive. To get things started in the right direction, I'm going to re-post an article I wrote way back on November 20 of last year. This was months before I was allowed anywhere near the radio show so it will all be new to the listeners. And, since last November we have added a ton of readers, my guess it will be new to most of you as well. Ladies and gentlemen, the history of wassailing. ****************** In keeping with my, … [Read more...]

Bible Study, Hippo Style

The Bible is, if I may use this word, an evolving text. Discoveries have been made that have forced scholars and lay people alike to reconsider what it all means. If we ignore the many politicized revisions of the King James Bible we have a pretty good starting point to base any discoveries on. The same holds true for the Talmud, which was edited and revised to become the Old Testament in the Christian Bible. The Holy Qu'Ran is a different animal. It was, according to Islamic tradition, dictated directly to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Jibril (Gabriel in western cultures) and was formalized by Caliph Uthman barely twenty years after … [Read more...]