“Drink water from your own cistern ….” Proverbs 5:15. This verse was interpreted literally by John W. Armstrong in the early 20th century. Armstrong grew up in a family that regularly used urine to treat everything from toothaches to stinging nettles. Although people
Historic Astringent: Urine Therapy

The Griswold Inn: The Nation’s Oldest Tavern

Every part of this great nation has local history worth exploring, but, when visiting New England, the history is all-encompassing. You can see it a along the Freedom Trail in Boston. You smell it on the salty sea breezes that
Movie Review: The Imitation Game

Over the past seventy years, there have been many outstanding movies about World War II. Typically, those movies focus on the battlefield heroics of the soldiers on the ground. The Imitation Game focuses instead on the behind the scenes work
Fourth of July: What If?

The Fourth of July is traditionally a day filled with family, food, and fireworks. This post is designed add a little intellectual fun to your celebration by offering some patriotic conversation starters. As you enjoy fireworks and picnics, give your brain
Book Review: Descartes’ Bones by Russell Shorto

While some may believe that history is simply an accounting of factual events, most of us are aware that there are always underlying ideas and worldviews that shape those events. Descartes’ Bones explores that intersection of philosophy, faith and science. Renee Descartes is often
Sticky Suffering: The Great Molasses Flood

On January 15, 1919, after hours of rescue attempts by his fellow firefighters, George Leahey drowned … in a sea of molasses. George Leahey was one of 21 people killed in Boston’s Great Molasses Flood of 1919. The exact cause of this bizarre
Yuengling: America’s Oldest Brewery

I grew up in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. It is a place where coal is hard and lungs are black. It is also the home of Yuengling: America’s Oldest Brewery. The anthracite coal region of northeastern Pennsylvania was built on the
Book Review: Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington

Up from Slavery, an autobiography by Booker T. Washington, is an inspiring book about motivation, instruction and the belief in oneself. As Washington recounts his life and his rise from slavery to higher education, he reminds 21st century readers of the
Royal Crush: Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary

No, this is not an article about Prince Harry, although that English Royal has many hearts skipping a beat. And this is not an article about a once heinous royal choice of execution wherein a suspect would have heavier and