THE MAN WHO BROKE JIM CROW

Jokes about lawyers and “activist” judges. Time to remember when Thurgood Marshall took the law and Constitution at their word.

HEROESThe AtticApril 18, 2025Thurgood Marshall, Brown v. Board of Education, NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Jim Crow, School segregatoin, Civil Rights, Civil Rights Movement, Supreme Court, SCOTUS Comments

WAVE THEORY

For decades, sports fans cheered, booed, and everything in-between. But how did they come up with The Wave?

WONDERSThe AtticApril 1, 2025The Wave, Baseball's Wave, Krazy George, Krazy George Henderson Comment

CARDS AS WONDERS

Some play cards, others collect them. But Ricky Jay made miracles with an ordinary deck.

WONDERSThe AtticMarch 20, 2025Ricky Jay, Ricky Jay sleight of hand, Sleight of hand, Cards as Weapons Comment

THE AMAZING SUPER CHIEF -- "SANTA FE ALL THE WAY"

Trains came and went but Santa Fe’s Super Chief was one of a kind.

WONDERSThe AtticMarch 5, 2025Super Chief, Santa Fe railroad, Santa Fe Super Chief, American railroads Comments

A (COMIC) REVOLUTION -- TELEVISED

Before SNL, “Your Show of Shows” blew American comedy wide open.

WITSBruce WatsonFebruary 19, 2025Your Show of Shows, Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, 1950s television, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner Comment

WIT, WEIMARANERS, AND WEGMAN

“It’s not all about the dog,” William Wegman says. Meet Man Ray, Fay Ray and his other famous Weimeraners.

WITS, ART-ISHThe AtticFebruary 5, 2025William Wegman, Weimeraners, Man Ray dog, Post-modern art Comments

"IMMIGRANTS -- WE GET THE JOB DONE!"

Central and Union Pacific agreed. Without immigrants — Chinese and Irish — the mighty Transcontinental RR would not have been.

BUILDERSThe AtticJanuary 26, 2025Transcontinental Railroad, Chinese-Americans, Irish-Americans, Railroads Comments

IN SEARCH OF THE POE TOASTER

He came out of the darkness, left cognac and roses on Poe’s grave. Then disappeared. Who was he?

BOOK-ISHThe AtticJanuary 10, 2025Edgar Allan Poe, Poe grave, The Poe Toaster, Baltimore's Poe Toaster Comments

THE MAN WHO KNEW IT ALL

Along with writing classic science fiction, Isaac Asimov explained. . . everything!!!!

BOOK-ISHThe AtticJanuary 2, 2025Isaac Asimov, Science fiction, Foundation Trilogy, I, I Robot Comments

THE UNIVERSE TURNS 100

A century ago, Edwin Hubble expanded our horizons beyond imagination.

DREAMERS, WONDERSThe AtticDecember 19, 2024Edwin Hubble, Big Bang Theory, Astronomy, History of astronomy, expanding universe Comments

POTLUCKS: A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED

With the season upon us, The Attic offers ten rules of etiquette.

WITSThe AtticDecember 12, 2024Potluck, Potluck dinners, Potlucks, Holiday dinners Comments

THE BAREFOOT PROPHET OF WHOLE FOODS

Wheatgrass and sprouts? Carrot juice and raw nuts? What would that kooky Gypsy Boots eat next?

DREAMERSThe AtticDecember 6, 2024Natural foods, Whole foods, 1960s culture, 1960s Comments

THE ARTIST AND THE REDNECK

Divided by politics, by Jim Crow, brothers Barry and Tommy Moser rarely spoke, until. . .

teachers, TEACHERS, teachers & healers, TEACHERS & HEALERS, THE HEALERSThe AtticNovember 29, 2024Barry Moser, American racism, Southern culture, American illustration Comments

DEMOCRACY -- THE NEXT GENERATION

In a nation where half the citizens don’t vote, who cares about civics? Kelley Brown and her students, that’s who.

TEACHERS, teachers & healers, DEMOCRACYThe AtticNovember 21, 2024American democracy, Civics education, We the People competition Comments

WHEN DEMOCRACY SPOKE. . . AND LISTENED

With America flat on its back, “Town Meeting of the Air” revived the conversation of democracy.

DEMOCRACYThe AtticNovember 14, 2024Town Meeting of the Air, America's Town Meeting of the Air, democracy, American democracy, Old radio Comments

TOQUEVILLE'S TAKE ON AMERICA

Setting out to describe democracy, he created a lasting portrait of Us, the People

DEMOCRACYThe AtticNovember 8, 2024Tocqueville, American democracy, "Democracy in America", Alexis de Tocqueville Comments

KINDER, COOLER, SMARTER

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