Hanukkah: An Ancient Holiday Survivor
I am an unabashed lover of everything Roman, for all they have done that still influences …
Historical Perceptions
Coffee Over Tea in the United States
It seems odd on that surface that in the United States, with its cultural roots in …
For the Love of Dog
I was interested in the idea of “universal values” and began looking at examples around the …
It is Now Time to “Pull out all the Stops!”- The Cool Story Behind a Common Phrase.
When we say we are going to “pull out all the stops,” we are saying we …
It is Now Time to “Pull out all the Stops!”- The Cool Story Behind a Common Phrase. Read more →
Historian mini-rant: NAPOLEON DID NOT HAVE A NAPOLEON COMPLEX!
I was reading a respected news site today and they had an article talking about a …
Historian mini-rant: NAPOLEON DID NOT HAVE A NAPOLEON COMPLEX! Read more →
Fun Fact of the Day: The Neat Story Behind the Word “Sheriff”
As should be pretty clear, I love the history of words and the stories they tell. …
Fun Fact of the Day: The Neat Story Behind the Word “Sheriff” Read more →
Why is Easter called Easter?
The etymology of Christmas is not that hard to see. It is the Christ-Mass. That works. …
April Fools’ Day! Why?
Where did April Fools’ Day come from? In a previous post I spoke about how January …
The Odd Origin of the Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian is a wonderful, amazing place (well…19 places). It is America’s national museum(s). The only …
Happy Maryland Day! …9 Months till Christmas…
My Father, A Marylander through and through, sent the following email to the family this morning. …