A Brief History On March 28, 845 A.D., a Viking raiding party led by Ragnar Lodbrok (a.k.a. Lothbrok) sacked Paris, the future capital of France, proving that it was not just coastal towns that were susceptible to such raids. As was typical, they were given an enormous ransom to leave. Digging Deeper Ragnar Lodbrok is also the star character of the current History Channel series Vikings, in which he is depicted as a semi-mythical Viking hero kind of a George Washington, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, King Arthur, Hercules, Theseus, Perseus, all rolled into one. A first-class production, the television series has superb acting and…
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A Brief History On March 27, 1998, the little blue pill known as Viagra was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States, giving aphrodisiacs such as “Spanish Flies” a run for their money. This prescription drug to defeat male impotence quickly went mainstream and, along with the other erectile dysfunction drugs Cialis and Levitra, remains a hot commodity to this day. Thanks to pharmacology, all these newly virile men can take their restored vitality to their local strip clubs and admire the beautiful dancers with confidence. While there, they can reflect on the music being…
A Brief History We are talking rock and roll here, not ballads, soft rock or crossover songs. These songs are ones that are usually not listed near the top of the “All Time” lists you find, although they may be found lower down. These are songs that we believe deserve consideration for listing within the top ranks of history’s greatest rock songs. What do you think? Do you have favorites that are often slighted? Let us know which songs you would have nominated for this list. Digging Deeper 10. “Surrender,” Cheap Trick, 1978. Ranking a baffling #471 on the Rolling…
A Brief History On March 20, 1852, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s story about an African-American family enslaved in the Antebellum South was published. It went on to become the best-selling book in the U.S. during the entire 19th century, second only to the Bible. Its anti-slavery message rallied abolitionists and infuriated and scared slave owners, perhaps fomenting the American Civil War. Many books have influenced Americans over the years, and here we list 10 of the most influential. Digging Deeper 10. The Turner Diaries, William Pierce, 1978. This novel, written by William Pierce under the pen name of Andrew Macdonald, quickly became…
A Brief History Our radio waves and video channels are often assaulted by hit songs that are anything but upbeat, exciting or rollicking. Some of these songs are either tear jerkers or so sickeningly sweet you want to gag when you hear them. Some are just hokey girlie songs (no problem if you like them, as long as you are a girl), while others belong in a fairy tale. Here we list 10 of the worst offenders, and, of course, since they were hit songs we realize there will be outraged defenders of each one. Feel free to vent and…