Engaging Life with Courage and Intelligence
A post with a historical reference
Lincoln and Twain now find themselves in a pizza parlor with many young people. The big screen television on the wall plays a bitter debate between political candidates. Instead of debates about policies, most politicians engage in name-calling and identity politics. In essence, it is a con game in which voters play the role of…
In the I Love Lucy television series of the 1950s, Ricky Ricardo used the catchphrase, “Lucy, you got some ‘splaining to do” whenever Lucy was caught in a lie or some other misdeed. Like her, most of us are forced to ‘splain things when we tell a fib or make a mistake. However, apparently, some…
Time travelers Abe Lincoln and Mark Twain are adjusting to 2025. They have finally found the appropriate venue to discuss American cultural and political realities.
American history has been dramatically altered by warfare. This was true in the American Revolution, World War II, and the American Civil War. The outcomes of wars were determined mainly on the battlefield, but the “peace” that follows can be either successful or unsuccessful. The peace that followed our Civil War was not entirely successful….
I have been puzzled by the popularity of political leaders who openly violate American laws and customs. In the past, such behavior would have been an automatic disqualifier. It is similar to the popularity of the outlaws in past eras. Outlaws, such as Jesse James, were celebrated by many, despite their apparent transgressions. It would…
Abe Lincoln and Mark Twain have another conversation while visiting America in 2025.
The following is a continuation of an earlier video on the demise of the KKK in Indiana in the 1920s. This one focuses on the trial but leaves out many details. Essentially, Madge Oberholtzer was a very decent, independent-spirited young woman whose life was cut short by the actions of the Grand Dragon of the…
It is possible to pursue truth and entertainment simultaneously, but they are usually mutually exclusive. The following video is about three men from the 19th century who time-traveled to a 21st-century coffee shop in an American small town to discuss truth and entertainment. Postscript: I converted Honest Abe into a cartoon character because the current…
For those clueless about baseball, Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese player, delivered the most outstanding single game in baseball history. On October 17, 2025, he pitched six scoreless innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers and hit three home runs. His fastballs topped 100 miles per hour, and all three of his home run blasts were over…
America’s darker impulses seem to be rising after years of relative calm and stability. Today the drumbeat of aggressors and bullies is louder than the peacemakers. The following is a YouTube video that highlights the slow but apparent drift of America towards a more warlike posture towards not only foreign countries and foreign people, but…