2024-04-23 20:31
Hannah Arendt, who wrote an account of the trial of Eichmann in Jerusalem, characterized Nazism as "the banality of evil." What exactly does that mean? BANALITY: "the quali… Read More
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2024-04-10 01:14
He was an architect. Well, sort of....A Nazi rally at Nurnberg. Real.A site in Hitler's fantasy capitol, Germania (well, Berlin, actually).Not Real.Not Real. In many… Read More
2024-04-09 17:11
Last week, I left you with Cpt. Lingerie. This week, I'm gonna tell you how he committed the act. Alright. Here we go.The plot to kill a president reputedly began as… Read More
2024-04-05 02:59
t.Well, not precisely spicy, but perhaps controversial, and most definitely irreverentADVISORY:This entry is about one of the sacred moments in American history--the murder of President… Read More
2024-03-24 19:16
What do you know about quantum physics? Astrophysics? String theory? Anything? Me neither. I know someone who is studying to be an astrophysicist. Impressive, right? D… Read More
2024-03-21 18:10
It could happen, Dear Reader.******************************************Yeah, I guess it may be good to be the king; or dictator as the case may be. OK. So who was Francois Duvalie… Read More
2024-03-11 23:10
We were speaking, Dear Reader, of the Boer War....What about the Boer War? Sh&t. Excuse me, the Second Boer War. How did it start, and why has it been forgotten? D… Read More
2024-03-11 23:08
OK, so who was Emily Hobhouse and why do we care? What was her role in the Boer War? What did this gal have to do with the British Empire, and why was she widely regarded (by the Engli… Read More
2024-02-23 01:40
In light of my recent posts on a certain tangerine colored car salesman, I think you might be interested, Dear Reader, in learning about the dangers of putting the military in charge--I mean… Read More
2024-02-14 02:58
Did you ever read The Illustrated Man?here's a link to the real work:https://archive.org/details/illustratedman0000bradThere was the universal, quiet conceit and easiness of men accusto… Read More
2024-02-09 02:28
I am not a constitutional scholar. Additionally, this document is sometimes troublesome, because certain passages are ambiguous--subject to varying interpretations.There is one questio… Read More
2024-02-05 23:57
I just have to start this entry with an obvious clip. Don't play it if it offends, alright?Behold the Scientology twit! But, seriously, I just love that clip (although I hated th… Read More
2024-01-29 21:12
What a collection of keystone cops. And, we absolutely cannot forget this Cretan:Almighty Zeus, this is the face of the MAGA movement? Wow. Just think about how these twin images… Read More
2024-01-25 07:14
Do you remember this guy? You know, Bugs, the Roadrunner, and Porky Pig?Yeah, well, Wile's IQ never did do him much good. Perhaps he was not a "super genius" after all--the poor guy k… Read More
2024-01-23 01:39
Footbinding. Ewwwwwwwwww. BEFORE WE BEGIN...THIS ENTRY WILL HAVE SOME EROTIC IMAGES, SO PROCEED WITH CAUTION. EACH OF THESE PICTURES DO HAVE A PURPOSE, BUT HAVE… Read More
2024-01-17 00:17
As the corset entered into the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, it became the essential female undergarment, until the 1960s. Ah, Bettie Paige.Ummm, so why are you wearing it?Let me tell… Read More
2024-01-10 23:10
First, a note to you, Dear Reader;As you 'saw' with my last post, history is not just in writing, but is visual; visceral. Material culture as a form of historical analysis is ju… Read More
2024-01-08 19:07
Women have a history, in the U.S., of being incredibly swayed by the images in the fashion pages.One of the ways some historians keep track of time, especially for American women, is to look… Read More
2024-01-04 18:17
Bless you Billie. Drugs certainly f$&(ed up your life. I know, we all hate the Food and Drug Administration. But in the late 19th, early 20th centuries, the government a… Read More
2024-01-04 02:35
This was a tragedy. It was (is) also a story of blood, arrogance, and stupidity that ended in the needless death of a 14 year old child.Ever hear about these two wanna-bes? The two who… Read More
2023-12-25 14:10
Let’s take a gander at a couple of dieties. Uh, guys. No, Prophets. Sigh. Use whatever label makes you comfortable, Dear Reader.A Near Eastern god, Mithra, was… Read More
2023-12-20 04:44
We were speaking of Scorsese’s film. The first three quarters are difficult to follow—I told you Dear Reader, that this is an intricate tale. Yet, I believe he did his best… Read More
2023-12-15 04:28
We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of land is the same to hi… Read More
2023-12-08 19:00
2023-12-07 22:58
Before I do my best to communicate the history of this icon, let me warn you, again, that I am an irreverent SOB, who doesn't subscribe to any belief system whatsoever. So, if you… Read More
2023-11-30 23:02
Ah, Caligula. In recent times, historians have been revisiting the life and times of this controversial Roman emperor, trying to make some sort of narrative that might help rehabilitat… Read More
2023-11-23 00:26
Norman Rockwell's vision of an American Thanksgiving. I know, I know, not exactly realistic, maybe even racist, right? Sigh. How about a drumstick with your propaganda?This… Read More
2023-11-16 02:21
NOTE to you Dear Reader:What follows is a tragic story, mostly for the victims of the SLA, and for the families of those victims. To be clear: this 'urban guerilla' organization… Read More
2023-11-07 18:59
OK how much do you know about “Tanya”? Shit I meant Patty-baby. "Tanya" was her ‘urban guerilla’ persona. To understand Hearst’s jo… Read More
2023-10-17 20:27
Have you ever watched "I Claudius" Dear Reader? Oh my, you should. It's my absolute favorite of all time, and was chiefly responsible for my early corruption. Here's a link, so t… Read More
2023-09-27 16:52
My apologies for missing you last week, Dear Reader, pressing family matters....This week, let us explore the life and times of Hypatia of Alexandria.Uh, who?Hmmm. Conic sections… Read More
2023-09-12 18:25
Well, this was how he wanted to look. Here is what Hoover actually looked like:Not such a bad, eh? But, oh, did he gain weight -- and jowls -- in later years....So, what were his… Read More
2023-09-07 11:46
Who? No, she didn't write "Jane Eyre." No, she didn't write "Wuthering Heights." Those were written by her sisters Charlotte, and Emily respectively.Now, I like--no LOVE "Jane… Read More
2023-08-16 23:03
So, who were the Clyde Barrow Gang, known colloquially as "Bonnie and Clyde?" They were among a number of Depression Era gangsters, who were overly romanticized by the newspapers and r… Read More
2023-08-16 16:11
I will be still be on hiatus for another week, but rest assured, I am working on a meaty post regarding the life and crimes of J. Edgar Hoover, that I hope to have ready for you next w… Read More
2023-08-09 21:15
Notice to you, Dear Reader:I have a family emergency, so I'll be taking this week off...but will return next week! Be well Read More
2023-08-03 01:32
What I’m going to write about this week, is still in the recent past—the early 2000’s. It's about two forgotten people: one a beautiful but unknown actress, and… Read More
2023-07-25 20:11
I know...tits that kill, right? And yet, this was kind of the fashion for bras in the 1950s--also the design copied the shape of a missile head. Oh, my.You're not gonna believe t… Read More
2023-07-21 19:03
Welcome to the first episode of Penelope’s Loom…a place to explore eccentric history. In this podcast, we’re going to talk about some of the rumored affairs of this tragic… Read More
2023-07-12 00:40
Yeah, I know, he was pretty good looking.And, I think he found his true best friend, when he met Sinatra. Ah, the Rat Pack.I realize I touched upon this subject in one of my first blog… Read More
2023-07-05 16:11
Much has been made of the correspondence that occurred between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson in the last years of their lives. This body of letters leaves us with keen and poig… Read More
2023-07-03 20:23
...[you know when] the air [is] so still it aches like the place where the tooth was on the morning after you’ve been to the dentist or aches like your heart in the bosom when you stan… Read More
2023-06-25 06:29
People give pain, are callous and insensitive, empty and cruel...but place heals the hurt, soothes the outrage, fills the terrible vacuum that these human beings make… Read More
2023-06-16 23:49
We are the breakers of our own hearts.-------Eudora WeltyThis is Mary Phagan. She was 13 years at the time of her murder.In preparation for this confusing and complex crime, I sure did… Read More
2023-06-08 17:10
F&*k. I just LOVE her expression: 'don't tread on me,' right?Alright. This week, I'm going to write on this lady...who just happens to be the ancestor of both Diana Spe… Read More
2023-06-08 00:55
or, perhaps this:Come on baby...let's do the twist!Because, folks, let's be clear--whenever you write about politics, it's a game of perception and/or lies. But, we should also ask the… Read More
2023-06-02 12:44
It's time to demythologise an era and build a new myth from the gu… Read More
2023-06-01 03:16
Pretty intense looking, isn't he?William Desmond Taylor was found shot dead, in his bungalow, on February 2, 1922, by his chauffeur Henry Peavey (who found him, OK?). He was lying on h… Read More
2023-05-31 14:47
This week, I'd like to discuss riots that occurred in LA (my home town) from 1942 to 1943. &n&hell…Read More
2023-05-24 04:09
So, OK I'm a little obsessive, and I've already written about Sherlock. But, how much do you know about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, his creator? Would you believe that Doyle believed in sp… Read More
2023-05-18 19:14
Who the f*&k is Philleas Fogg?Good ole Philleas was the main character in a novel written by Jules Verne. It was originally published in January, 1872, and was received with a mode… Read More
2023-05-06 19:52
Want to read about some adventures? Would you like to meet an unknown super hero? Let me introduce you to Nellie Bly…. Her real name was Elizabeth Cochran, and she was an importa… Read More
2023-05-03 03:53
Ah, Gary Larson's Far Side. You really cannot beat him for off the wall, takes on history. As Custer was a particular subject matter of some of his best works, look for more late… Read More
2023-04-29 19:31
I wonder if you have ever heard of this figure of American history. In my less than humble opinion, she was as important as John Adams. She also has, in common with Adams, the du… Read More
2023-04-28 17:40
Do you ever really look at political cartoons? Trudeau, Conrad, Herblock.... If you examine these carefully, it's possible to get a sense of the times. Back in t… Read More
2023-04-20 20:44
Can’t you hurry this up a bit? I hear they eat dinner in Hades at twelve sharp, and I don’t aim to be late.” – Black Jack Ketchum, just before he was hanged at Clayto… Read More
2023-03-30 21:04
Overview: In 1947, Joseph McCarthy was elected to the United States Senate. He came from the important mid-western state, Wisconsin.An unknown on the stage of national politics, J… Read More
2023-03-17 18:58
Did you know that Stalin was only 5 foot four? No! Seriously! 5 foot four! He looks so big in those paintings. He looks so cute in those monolithic sculptures and busts. Truthfull… Read More
2023-03-17 18:46
Hey...one quick word before we begin...This is a tragic story, filled with unspeakable actions. And, worse, there are no happy endings. Not even for the victorious... What… Read More
2023-03-03 04:20
OK: Hitler and sex...uck. gag.We never, ever, EVER think about Hitler as a sexual being. His public image always embodied an uncomfortable juxtaposition of virile masculinity, and asexua… Read More
2023-02-23 05:40
Ah, Marlowe, you cool cat.One of the things you realize when you live in Los Angeles, or rather grow up in the city, you either love it, or hate it. It’s an ephemeral city, a joy… Read More
2023-02-15 19:54
Why oh why is the story of this nation's beginning dominated by the Holy Triumvirate of Franklin, Jefferson, and Washington? OK. I get a little frustrated by this continuing perce… Read More
2023-02-15 03:21
It would be wrong to end my story of Custer and co. at the end of the battle, without mentioning how iconic this battle became, in the context of American western history. I… Read More
2023-02-15 02:03
Before I continue with this story, let me say, that Custer's experience is well known among scholars of the American west, as well as other enthusiasts. The Battle of the Little Bighor… Read More
2023-02-12 17:13
She was the last queen of Hawaii.Born in the mid nineteenth century, Liliuokalani was the child of the Alii--the large royal family of the islands. From an early age, she was edu… Read More
2023-02-08 23:10
She was, quite simply, glorious....and today, she is largely forgotten, by just about everyone. She was, most prominently, an anti-lynching activist, and an advocate f6or ci… Read More
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