The Inquisition is often thought of as just an event.  However, it was both an event and an office within the Roman Catholic Church.  The earliest evidence of this office comes from the 12th c. and Pope Lucius III.  The purpose of The Inquisition was to root out heresy and teachings that went contrary to… Read More »

The old Mother Goose nursery rhyme says: Little Jack Horner Sat in the corner, Eating his Christmas pie; He put in his thumb, And pulled out a plum, And said, “What a good boy am I!” The lyrics of the poem seem a bit ridiculous, don’t they?  What exactly was being talked about?  What is… Read More »

If you are looking for a birthday party to attend this afternoon, why not host one in honor of Thomas A. Edison.  While you’re at it, celebrate all inventors because today is National Inventors Day.  The date was chosen by President Ronald Reagan and inaugurated in 1983 to be celebrated on Edison’s birthdate. Necessity is… Read More »

Most who are reading this grew up with a name that is familiar to all:  Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I’m assuming that everyone knows she really existed and that Little House On The Prairie was an adaptation from her books.  Those books were a mixture of fact and fiction concerning the life of the Ingalls family.… Read More »

According to the 12th Amendment to the United States Constitution: “…The person having the greatest number of (Elector) votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding… Read More »

Today is National Kite Flying Day.  Why would anyone choose this day to fly a kite unless you live in a southern state or a warmer country?  Most of the United States is a frigid mess this time of year.  But one of the most important kite flying contests was held just a couple of… Read More »

The year was 1863.  British chemist John Newlands introduced the first periodic table.  It contained just 20 elements and the chart looked like the game Boggle.  Today, that table has grown to 118 elements with the first 94 occurring naturally and the rest being synthesized. Every chemistry student has had to memorize this chart.  When… Read More »

Ever heard of the Dalton Gang?  In the days of the expanding Wild West, gangs popped up all over the countryside, robbing trains, stagecoaches, and wagons.  On this day in 1891, the Dalton Gang committed their first robbery to start their nefarious career.  However, it didn’t go as expected. By some accounts, Lewis and Adeleine… Read More »

A Google search for the most famous meteorologists of all time turned up a list of over 50 individuals, only five of which were TV personalities.  Jim Cantore (The Weather Channel), Owen Daniels, and Dr. Reed Timmer (The Discovery Channel) were the only American television meteorologists mentioned in the list.  Helen Willets is on the… Read More »

Marbleton, Georgia is a city 15 miles northwest of Atlanta.  With a population of 78,000, they are the largest community in Cobb County.  They are also home to Vinings Lake Church. The church made national news in December because it is one of the growing number of “churches” that prefer to be recognized as a… Read More »