In the realm of celebrity animals, cows aren’t particularly cool. Arnold the pig, Flipper the dolphin, and Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion all enjoyed the limelight in TV series of the past. Cows haven’t been as fortunate. Yes, Clarabelle Cow was the original best friend of Minnie Mouse. And Cow Steer was half of the offbeat duo that starred in the animated series… Read more »
Disagreements are inevitable. People disagree about climate change, the best way to load the dishwasher, who should be president, March Madness bracket seedings, the efficacy of vaccines, how to eat fried chicken (fingers vs. fork), what to do about Vladimir Putin, and whether green beer should be served more often than just St. Patrick’s Day. Because disagreements often lead to devaluing those… Read more »
In September 1519, Ferdinand Magellan left Spain on a quest to find an oceanic trade route to Asia. Magellan didn’t sail east. Others had already pioneered that route around the southern tip of Africa and through the Indian Ocean. Instead, he sailed west across the Atlantic. Would it be possible to connect Europe with China, Japan, and the East Indies by… Read more »
In the minds of many, the apostle Paul’s version of the Good News has been nothing but bad news for women. Two infamous texts stand out. The first is I Corinthians 14:34-35, where he asserts that “women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must remain in submission.” Then in I Timothy 2:11-15 Paul writes, “I… Read more »
Randall Tallerico was terrified. A recent college graduate, he was now a brand-new hire at Robert Solomon and Associates, a top advertising agency in Detroit. During his first week Robert was summoned to see Kathleen Hay, the agency’s creative director. Kathleen was juggling a phone, a cigarette, and a cup of coffee, all the while issuing orders to a stream… Read more »
Many people feel a twinge of disappointment the first time they see The Wizard of Oz. The heroes have journeyed through one obstacle after another in search of some of life’s best gifts: If I only had a brain. If I only had a heart. If I only had courage. If I only could go home. But the Wizard has nothing to… Read more »
Several years ago, a high-rise construction worker experienced the ultimate nightmare. He lost his balance. He would have fallen except that he managed to wrap his fingers around an iron beam. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the strength or the leverage to pull himself back up. He screamed for help. But it was a noisy worksite and everyone on his team was attending… Read more »
Collective nouns are one of the most delightful components of the English language. A collective noun is a word that describes a group of something: a herd of elephants, a pack of wolves, a gaggle of geese, a choir of singers. We hear those examples rather often. Less common collectives can be a hoot: a clowder of cats, a bloat of hippos, a… Read more »
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is deservedly regarded as one of the great musical composers of all time. During his own lifetime, however, Bach was largely ignored. He did not have a university degree. He had a reputation for being difficult to work with. He became the musical director of the four principal Lutheran churches in Leipzig, Germany, but only after the search… Read more »
On October 4, 1957, 10-year-old Stephen King, the future master of horror, was sitting in the movie theater in downtown Stratford, Connecticut. He and his friends were watching that fabulous 1950s sci-fi flick, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers. A few years later I enjoyed the same movie at the Uptown Theater on the north side of Indianapolis. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers is… Read more »
