“TV – a clever contraction derived from the words Terrible Vaudeville. However, it is our latest medium – we call it a medium because nothing’s well done.” — Goodman Ace
Why Is Television a Medium?
Human Gullibility — Just Enough to Get By
“You can fool some of the people some of the time — and that’s enough to make a decent living.” — W.C. Fields
Loving Dogs By Knowing Humanity
“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” — Charles de Gaulle
Pigs, Politicians, Elections, and Executions
Author Orson Scott Card summed up the shortsightedness of much of the electorate. He said, “If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no […]
The Danger of Political Jokes
The ultimate test of a comedian’s greatness is the timelessness of his or her humor. Has there ever been a time when Bob Hope’s observation about politics wasn’t true? “I don’t do […]
The Unexplored Capacity for Nonsensical Violence
“The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed.” — Robert A. Heinlein
Wisdom, Wit, and Reflections From Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein accomplished so much and influenced so much more that it is sometimes hard to separate the man from the myth. It is also difficult to reconcile that the brain that […]
When Churchill Got His Foot Caught on a Dangling Preposition
Few people have ever commanded such a mastery of the English language as Winston Churchill. He labored over his speeches and writing, carefully selecting just the right words in just the right […]
The Wit and Wisdom of Adlai Stevenson
Few people came to political life with a quicker wit than Adlai Stevenson II (1900-1965). He made his mark in politics as governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953 and received the […]
Wordiness Is a Defense Against Popularity
Sir Winston Churchill was a master of the English language and greatly appreciated the effectiveness of a carefully-edited work. He was famous for emphasizing the need for brevity in all of his […]
Doling Out the Difference Between Dole and Nixon
One of the favorite sons of the state of Kansas is former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. He is admired for his service to the country and for his brilliant sense of humor. […]
Lincoln Gets Burned By Red-Hot Stove Story
No one appreciated a funny story better than Abraham Lincoln. Whenever he heard something that made him chuckle, he filed the story away in his memory to use again when the opportunity […]
How Big of a Telescope is Needed to See Any Interest?
A popular television program of the early days of television was This is Show Business. It ran from 1949 to 1954 and gave aspiring entertainers the opportunity to get advice from a […]
Think Twice Before Putting Your Ear to the Ground
“I see that a speaker… said that this was a time when leaders should keep their ears to the ground. All I can say is that the British nation will find it […]
Parenting and the Presidency: the Limits of Power
When President Theodore Roosevelt was confronted with complaints about the behavior of his 19-year-old daughter, Alice, he responded, “I can do one of two things. I can be President of the United […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 