Posts Tagged ‘History’
Covid Variants? Insurrection Hearings? Tense Elections? Was “May You Live in Interesting Times” a Famous Chinese Curse?
There’s an old Buzzkill curse — may you subscribe to interesting podcasts. If you do, your life will become so gloriously enlightened with new information, presented in such an engaging way, that you’ll forget to feed your cat, you’ll mix your laundry colors, and you’ll neglect taking your medication That reminds me of another “famous”…
Read MorePiece of Sh*t Saturday: Salmon P. Chase
Professor Heather Cox Richardson gives us the low-down on one of history’s pieces of sh*t, Salmon P. Chase (the man on the $10,000 bill). Hear about his machinations during the Lincoln administration, his colossal ego, and how he helped saddle the United States with President Andrew Johnson. Ugh! Episode 463.
Read MoreClare Boothe Luce: American Renaissance Woman, Part 2
Your favorite Buzzkill history professor, Dr. Philip Nash, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the life of Claire Boothe Luce, an American Renaissance woman if ever there was one. In part two of this two-parter, we discuss her career as a diplomat, and her fascinating personal life. Listen and learn! Episode 462.
Read MoreClare Boothe Luce: American Renaissance Woman, Part 1
Your favorite Buzzkill history professor, Dr. Philip Nash, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the life of Claire Boothe Luce, an American Renaissance woman if ever there was one. In part one of this two-parter, we discuss her early life and career as a journalist and writer, and her fascinating personal life. Listen and learn!…
Read MoreThe Many Myths About the Declaration of Independence: 4th of July Special Encore!
July 4th is upon us and two things will likely happen, at least for American Buzzkillers. The first is that we will use the July 4th national holiday as an opportunity to take a mid-summer vacation (or extend a weekend vacation). The second thing that will happen is that we will be treated to a…
Read MoreWhy is it called “The Liberty Bell”?
It’s a dramatic and poignant story. July 4, 1776: the Second Continental Congress had been meeting in Philadelphia for over a year, trying to hammer out how to win the Revolutionary War and establish an independent nation. On that day they agreed to adopt the Declaration of Independence. The news spread quickly across the city,…
Read MoreWas “Ring Around the Rosie” about the Bubonic Plague?
“Ring Around the Rosie” has been a popular nursery rhyme for a very long time. Many of us learned it when we were children. But we often hear people claim that the rhyme is traceable to the time of the Black Death, and that each line is a morbid reminder of the horrors of Bubonic…
Read MoreLife Expectancy Myths
Don’t drop dead, Buzzkillers. At least not yet. It’s not your time. You live in the modern world with all the advantages of modern medicine and modern life-prolonging practices, right? The life expectancy for the average American is 75.5. People in the past had much lower life expectancies. You often hear that ancient peoples (especially…
Read MoreWhen Did the NRA Become Extremist?
Sadly, tragically, infuriatingly, it seems that every time there is a mass shooting in the United States, the same sorts of arguments come up from the same, opposing, sides. Gun control advocates say there is only one solution, and that is, not surprisingly, more gun control. Gun rights advocates argue that gun ownership and the…
Read MoreGeneral Hooker’s Hookers
Civil War Buzzkillers have been after me for months and months to put this commonly-heard legend to rest. To put it to bed, so to speak! So here goes. Union General Joseph (“Fightin’ Joe”) Hooker was one of the most fascinating generals of the American Civil War. (And that was a war with some real…
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