The Bible is as much a political document as it is a religious one. Stories printed there were crafted to support a specific narrative, perhaps to bolster the reign of a particular king or party in its quest for control. Over time, these stories were edited, re-edited, and re-arranged to support different narratives. One such … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: The Sons of Israel
Category: Words
The Carvings on Stone Mountain, #7
Cedonia & Brice Browder 8-1916 In 1920, closest to the date of the carving, Cedonia F. Browder, age twelve and her brother Brice, age eight, are found in the household of George M. Browder, age thirty-one, and his wife Dell A. age thirty-four. Both Cedonia and Brice are identified as "Meyer" instead of Browder and … Continue reading The Carvings on Stone Mountain, #7
Dead Parrots and Shows About Nothing
Python, Seinfeld, and Absurdity People think of absurdity as someone acting irrationally, or strange things happening to an otherwise normal person, but often the heart of absurdity comes from people rationalizing behavior which defies explanation. My stock portfolio just tanked; now's the perfect time to buy more! Whenever our instincts conflict with our intellects, we're … Continue reading Dead Parrots and Shows About Nothing
Bizarro Atlanta, Summer of 1996
"The world is coming to Atlanta!" —Ad for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics For seventeen days in the summer of 1996, Atlanta entered the Bizarro World, where the downtown connector was clear, MARTA was packed, and the world stopped by for a visit. Less than a year before, Atlanta had been thrilled when the Braves brought … Continue reading Bizarro Atlanta, Summer of 1996
Communication Breakdown
The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had. --Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google The Internet was once solely the province of academics and researchers; universities communicating with the governmental and military facilities that financed their research; and … Continue reading Communication Breakdown
The Carvings on Stone Mountain, #6
Alice Campbell, 1912 This carving is located near the top of the rails to the left as one is ascending the mountain, underneath one of the rock formations. Alice Campbell, age 21, is listed in the household of her father, William P. Campbell in Stone Mountain on the 1910 census. In the same household is … Continue reading The Carvings on Stone Mountain, #6
Atlanta Transitional
As an Atlanta native, I always find it interesting to read lists of places or activities which characterize denizens of the city, many of which I have little or no familiarity with. Lenox Square Mall, for instance, is cited as the place Atlantans shop, but it wasn't until I was in high school or college … Continue reading Atlanta Transitional
Fun with Photoshop: Skulls
Today's subject is a foam skull I purchased the last time the Georgia Shakespeare Festival performed Hamlet. I photographed it on my dining table, using just the overhead lights and natural lighting from the window. The tabletop has an interesting design that provided a nice backdrop. I edited it with some filters in Photoshop Express. … Continue reading Fun with Photoshop: Skulls
Biological Imperative
In Genesis, the first humans are instructed to be fruitful and multiply. Given that the human population now exceeds seven billion individuals, one could assume humans took that instruction to heart. Along the way, the transition from hunter gathers, where the population was constantly on the move, to an agrarian society where everyone stays … Continue reading Biological Imperative
War of Words
For centuries, those attempting to manipulate the public conscience have understood that appealing to emotions or instincts is far more effective than appealing to intellect. The advertising industry makes a fortune each year manipulating the audience's emotions to sell everything from coffee and toothpaste, to candidates for all levels of public office. In his review … Continue reading War of Words