Persistent False Myth of Poisoned Halloween Candy (Repeat)

"Fun Facts Saturday" The notion that strangers are poisoning and tampering with Halloween candy is a false myth that won't go away. We are living in the most paranoid fearmongering time in human history. The media is a multi-billion-dollar industry. The more readers and viewers, the more revenue. It is all about ratings and profits. To increase ratings, the media sensationalizes and distorts events. … Continue reading Persistent False Myth of Poisoned Halloween Candy (Repeat) →

“We only use 10% of our brain.” (Another “Brain Barnacle.”)

"Fun Facts Saturday" My Brain Potential and School Grades I learned in grade school that we only use 10% of our brain. I thought that if I buckled down, and worked extra hard, I could use 11% of my brain. Then, I would be smarter than everybody else. My intense dedication to studying paid off. I did well … Continue reading “We only use 10% of our brain.” (Another “Brain Barnacle.”) →

Columbus did not prove the earth was round. “Everybody” already believed that. (Another “Brain Barnacle”)

"Fun Facts Saturday" Myth of the Medieval Flat World Belief We learned in school that, during Medieval times, everybody believed the world was flat. That’s why Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) struggled to get investors and sponsorships for his 1492 adventure crossing the Atlantic. After all, why risk a fortune on a “fool’s errand.” That’s why Columbus had … Continue reading Columbus did not prove the earth was round. “Everybody” already believed that. (Another “Brain Barnacle”) →

“Iron Maidens” were NOT used as Medieval torture devices (Another “Brain Barnacle”)

"Fun Facts Saturday" We all know about the “Iron Maiden,” the most notorious Medieval torture device. It was a man-sized upright cabinet. It had a hinged front and a spike-covered interior. A person was placed upright in the interior. When the door was closed, the spikes punctured his body, and the person bled to death. … Continue reading “Iron Maidens” were NOT used as Medieval torture devices (Another “Brain Barnacle”) →

Viking Helmets did NOT have Horns (Just another “Brain Barnacle”)

“Fun Facts Saturday”“Brain Barnacles” A ship traveling through the seas picks up barnacles that slows it down and damages the hull. Likewise, as we sail through life, we pick up popular beliefs that are false. I call these, “Brain Barnacles.” Occasionally, we need to stop and scrape these "barnacles" off our brain. No Horns The … Continue reading Viking Helmets did NOT have Horns (Just another “Brain Barnacle”) →

Materialism and the Myth of the “Eye of the Needle” Gate

"Sunday Sermon" The Root Sin of Materialism Henry David Thoreau (1817-1861), American philosopher, and author of Walden Pond and Civil Disobedience, proclaimed: “For every thousand hacking at the branches of evil, there is one striking at the root.” One of the major “root sins” is materialism - “building treasures on earth,” “having our hearts set … Continue reading Materialism and the Myth of the “Eye of the Needle” Gate →

Myth of Addictus: Slavery of Sin and Addiction

The word “addiction” comes from the Latin “addictus” meaning “slave.” In ancient Rome, an “addictus” was a “debt slave.” He or she was a person who was enslaved by a creditor because of a debt. Once the debt was paid, the slave was freed. (This is the same philosophy underlying “debtor’s prison.”) The Roman Myth … Continue reading Myth of Addictus: Slavery of Sin and Addiction →