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Why We Have a Bill of Rights

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  Here's a quiz: Until relatively recently, it was illegal to read the Bible aloud in which country? Saudi Arabia Pakistan Somalia Great Britain Of course, you knew it was a trick question. And by "relatively recently" I did mean the 16th century. But it's true—at one time you could go to jail for reading the Bible aloud—in Great Britain ! That little episode began when Henry VIII withdrew from the Roman Catholic Church and assumed his role as head of the new Church of England. It only seemed right that the new church should have its own Bible—in English. So Henry authorized a new translation which came to be known as the Great Bible. But he didn't understand what he was unleashing. Having the Scriptures in their own language aroused a spiritual curiosity in the English populace. As one historian of the time put it, "Everyone who could bought the book and and busily read it or got others to read it to them." That posed a threat to the k...
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The Evolution of a Song

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It's the Womack Brothers out of Cleveland, Ohio. They became popular as a gospel group under the watchful eye of their father, Friendly Womack. After Sam Cooke heard them, he invited them to come record for his SAR label. So they drove a beat-up Cadillac to Los Angeles and recorded this gospel tune, "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" in 1961. You can already hear Bobby's dynamic, distinctive lead--with the sweet, innocent voices of Friendly, Jr., Curtis, Harry and Cecil backing him up.   1962. The Womack Brothers have followed the lead of their mentor Sam Cooke and gone in a secular direction. They're now known as The Valentinos. And "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" is now "Lookin' for a Love." Bobby still sings lead. It hits number eight on the R&B charts.   It's 1974—the Disco Era! And Bobby has released an updated solo version of "Looking for a Love." It's a big hit. Here he is, dancing and lip-synching...
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The Universe Doesn't Care about You

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Tell me if you've heard somebody say something like this: "The universe must be watching out for me!" Or, "The universe must have something in mind." Obviously, they're attributing personal, godlike qualities to the cosmos —usually without really examining their presumptions. It's actually a hangover from the sloppy pantheism and mysticism that were common in the '60s. But don't tell them that. (Thank you, Alan Watts, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, Paramahansa Yogananda, Steve Gaskin, Richard Alpert, etc.) But it's worth asking: Does the universe really care about you? Here's a thought experiment: Imagine you actually "slipped the surly bonds of earth" and ventured out into the benevolent universe, far from the atmosphere and gravity that we're all used to. What would happen? Your body would explode into billions of undetectable particles. And you'd be gone. And the universe wouldn't bat an eye. ...
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"The rules of grammar are a nuisance, up with which I cannot put."

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–Winston Churchill
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5 Great Words That Don't Mean What You Think They Mean

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Bombast. Maybe it’s because it has that word bomb in it, but bombast is often misused to describe harsh, exaggerated, or over-the-top rhetoric. Actually, it refers to speech that’s pompous or pretentious. Originally, bombast was a name for the cotton padding used in clothes. So when you hear a speech with lots of padding or filler—that’s bombastic. Or, (ahem) it could describe writing that has the same qualities.   Hypocrite. We all know that a hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another. Right? Well, actually, no. The word derives from the Greek word for a stage actor—someone who’s pretending to be someone else. So, if you‘re not living up to your own standards—that just means you’re human. If you’re pretending to do so—then yes, you’re a hypocrite.   Diffident. This word is sometimes used as a synonym for arrogant or aloof . Actually, it describes someone who is timid or shy ( dif -fident—the opposite of con -fident).   St...
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The Power of Language

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People have spent years analyzing the song lyrics of Bob Dylan and the Beatles, looking for hidden messages. But the real deep content can be found in the pop and doo-wop records of the '50s and early '60s. Take a look at these lyrics. Recite them, out loud. Preferably with other people around. Do it over and over. Then, you'll understand ... Shoobie doobie wah doowop eewobbie wobbie Shoop shoop shanga langa shingabop Wop wop padda padda wop wop shoobop doobop Dum di di dee dum de dum dee dee dum di di dee dee dee dum Dum dum diddly dum Doo wah diddy diddy dum diddy doo Doolang doolang doolang Yakadula yakadula Dum dum dum dumbie doowah Sha la la doobie wah dum dum dum Bo bo bo dimbodeeay Da dee da dee da deeyah Dum dum dum dumbie doowah oh yay yay yay ah oh wo wo wo-ah Sha na na na sha na na na na Shoo doo shoobedoo Scoobie doo
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Some Words Are Just Funny

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Dying is easy. Comedy is hard. That quote has been ascribed to nineteenth-century actor Edmund Keene, and various other sources, but its truth is borne out by the many people who have tried to be funny and bombed. A corollary is that humor writing is hard too. Making people laugh at words on a page may be one of the most daunting tasks a human can undertake—right behind parallel parking. Fortunately, there are some words that make it easy. They sound funny all by themselves. Here are a few of my favorites. What are yours? Snorkel Brouhaha Gherkin Diphthong Hornswoggle Bungee Hooligan Aardvark Platypus Kerfuffle Carbuncle Pollywog Boondoggle The list grows. And life is funnier because of it.
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