V for Vendetta
A shadowy freedom fighter known only as “V” uses terrorist tactics to fight against his totalitarian society. Upon rescuing a girl from the secret police, he also finds his best chance at having an ally.
Read moreCulture
I would classify things in this category that were related to arts, literature, cinema, performance. Things that make us and the world better.
A Well Told Tale
Some time back I wrote about how proud I was of one of my best friends, Paul Shepherd. Paul is a writer, and like most writers had worked for a long time on a book. His book, More Like Not Running Away, was selected for the Mary McCarthy prize which included having the book published.
Read moreWhere Did "That's All She Wrote" Come From?
When we think of a person saying “that’s all she wrote,” we usually picture someone who’s disappointed for some reason.
Read moreThe Golden Opportunity Is In Yourself Alone
The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck
Read moreThe Great Opportunity Is Where You Are
Burroughs is trying to remind us that its easy to look far away and imagine great deeds we could accomplish, but the important thing is to be in the here and now, and make something of the current situation.
Read moreWhy We Bless Sneezers
The origin of the “bless you” tradition is not entirely clear. The urban legend experts at Snopes.com list an impressive number of possibilities. One involves the (hopefully) mistaken belief that a human’s soul might escape through a sneeze. Saying “God bless you” wards off Satan while the soul is temporarily vulnerable. I’ve also heard that it was thought, in Biblical times, that a sneeze was an attempt to rid the body of a demon.
Read moreMake the Circumstances You Want
George Bernard Shaw was a freethinker, defender of women’s rights, and advocate of equality of income. In 1925 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He most certainly knew his share of failures, but continued on to become one of the leading literary figures of his time.
Read moreWhat is The Longest Film Ever Made?
According to anecdotage.com, the aptly titled “Cure for Insomnia” is the longest film ever. It runs about 87 hours and features L.D. Groban reading a really looooong poem. Just in case you find that kind of boring, according to IMDb, the film slices in pornography and music video footage. Probably not the best “date movie.”
Read moreAn Idea Whose Time Has Come
Today’s Smart Thought is by an anonymous author. It speaks of the power of ideas. The ability of an idea to change the world is well known. Most recently, think of the internet. It was designed for the government to be able to communicate in the event of nuclear war, but it has managed to change society and business forever.
Read moreSouthern Humor of the Genteel Kind
Some good southern humor from a friendly New Orleans native.
Read moreThe Brokeback Mountain Battle in the War on Christians
The past year, a “War on Christianity” has been suggested by those imbedded in the rear guard. Just two weeks ago, a conference titled, “War on Christians” was held in Washington, D.C., of course only 300 participants showed up. (Just like Washington…to hold a war without enough troops.) Obviously, there’s a possible difference of opinion on whether or not such a war really exists. But a little focus is never a bad thing when it comes to understanding.
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