Michael Segers

From ancient manuscripts to the Internet, English resists the efforts of English teachers and lawmakers to keep it under contro.

Unscramble the names of these twenty people who contributed to the American Revolution, and learn about what they did for the United States.

As a film critic, I was not in the business of labeling films as good or bad. In fact, I mainly wanted to muddy the view of the films.

Christianity was founded by a radical rabbi who was born homeless, overthrew tables in the Temple, and died naked and tortured.

You do not have to be Buddhist to draw on the riches of a tradition that even many Buddhists say is not a religion.

In these two adventures, from the 1930s and 1940s, reporter Tintin tangles with drug smugglers.

Tintin can make an airplane propellor, fly the plane, treat a sick elephant, learn elephant language, and may even get boring.

In the Christian calendar, the Feast of the Pentecost commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples of Jesus (Acts 2).

Ascension Day, commemorates the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, as recorded in the Bible.

American Idol judge Paula Abdul admits that she battled with dependency on or addiction to prescription drugs.

Many, if not most, employment ads on Craigslist are scams. So, if you find yourself looking at job ads on Craigslist, be careful about scams.

This is only my second poem in nine years.

One of the greatest discoveries in religious history in the 20th century is finding the Gnostic library at Nag Hammadi in 1945, opening a window onto a group from the early days of Christianity.

Tintin travelled around the world and to the moon in the twenty-four books of his adventures. Now, he has adventures on the Internet, on Facebook, Twitter, eBay, blogs, and online forums.

In 1931, Belgian cartoonist Hergé brought his boy reporter, the one-named Tintin, together with his dog Snowy, to the New World. Tintin comes to America, specifically to Chicago, to clean up Al Capone's operations.

The choking game is a dangerous method of obtaining a high by suffocating yourself. It has gained renewed interest in recent years, although it goes back for centuries.

Prefixes, at the beginning of words, and suffixes, at the conclusion of words, give students a great deal of information about new vocabulary words.

Philip Markoff, suspected Craigslist killer, and Susan Boyle, an unlikely singing sensation are joined by our prejudices.

Forty-seven year old Susan Boyle wowed the audience and judges of "Britain's Got Talent" and has become an Internet sensation with one performance.

Although Burger King gets hamburgers right, they are having problems with their advertising these days. When two of a company's ads are in the news in one day, you have to wonder if they are doing this on purpose.

A Turkish reporter in blackface for a report on President Obama raised questions about cultural differences and racism.

Was Herge a racist? I do not believe so. Was he influenced by the racism of his culture? Of course. Can we ever put racism completely behind us?

The first Tintin story presents a controversial picture of the Soviet Union.

The date of Easter may vary by more than a month from year to year, and by thirteen days from Catholic and Protestant churches to Orthodox churches.

Suffixes change other words to into verbs and let us use verbs as other parts of speech.

Since the 1950s, Tintin's adventures have been in movies and on television. We can watch many of them for free online.

Tintin, soon to claim Hollywood as his own, has triumphed on the Internet, with almost seven million references.

Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are collaborating on three films of the adventures of Belgian comic book character Tintin.

There are two different books called the Gospel of Thomas. One, which has been known for centuries, is a collection of stories of the childhood of Jesus (stories not found in the canonical gospels, those found in the New Testament). The best known and most controversial of the Nag Hammadi texts, however, is a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus (some of these sayings are found in the canonical gospels, some are not). This is the Gospel of Thomas that you will hear(Part III). Read my article on the Gospel of Thomas at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1517331/the_gnostics_the_gospel_of_thomas.html?cat=38. Check "Christianity on the Fringes" for an index to my writings on Christian topics at http://www.squidoo.com/christianityonthefringes.

There are two different books called the Gospel of Thomas. One, which has been known for centuries, is a collection of stories of the childhood of Jesus (stories not found in the canonical gospels, those found in the New Testament). The best known and most controversial of the Nag Hammadi texts, however, is a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus (some of these sayings are found in the canonical gospels, some are not). This is the Gospel of Thomas that you will hear. This is the Gospel of Thomas that you will hear (Part II). Read my article on the Gospel of Thomas at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1517331/the_gnostics_the_gospel_of_thomas.html?cat=38. Check "Christianity on the Fringes" for an index to my writings on Christian topics at http://www.squidoo.com/christianityonthefringes.

There are two different books called the Gospel of Thomas. One, which has been known for centuries, is a collection of stories of the childhood of Jesus (stories not found in the canonical gospels, those found in the New Testament). The best known and most controversial of the Nag Hammadi texts, however, is a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus (some of these sayings are found in the canonical gospels, some are not). This is the Gospel of Thomas that you will hear (Part I). Read my article on the Gospel of Thomas at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1517331/the_gnostics_the_gospel_of_thomas.html?cat=38. Check "Christianity on the Fringes" for an index to my writings on Christian topics at http://www.squidoo.com/christianityonthefringes.

Suffixes help us identify adjectives, words that describe nouns and pronouns.

Since its discover in 1945, the Gospel of Thomas has challenged traditional concepts of Jesus.

The Gnostics believed that Christ came to teach, not to suffer.

Gnostics look within themselves for verification of their beliefs.

The Gnostics believed that the Christ was purely spiritual, not born of a woman.

Until recently, all we knew about the Gnostics was what their enemies had written about them.

The Gnostics believed in salvation by knowledge of God and of self.

Sony Music Entertainment allows you to record a duet of "Blue Christmas" with Elvis Presley and email it to your friends and family - FREE.

Disney will create a free, personalized video for you of a celebration in your own Disney park.

The world is celebrating the centenary of Olivier Messiaen, who created some of the most memorable music of the twentieth century.

In a ranking of healthy states, eight of the top ten voted Democrat, while eight of the bottom ten voted Republican.

Miriam Makeba, native of South Africa and citizen of the world, collapsed and died during her ongoing stuggle for human rights.

Forbes Magazine has published its now annual list of the most influential celebrities under the age of five.

Yma Sumac, the "Peruvian Songbird," a movie and music sensation in the 1950's, leaves a legacy of distinctive performances.

The only form of poetry appropriate for Sarah Palin

Stick to a plan to learn a foreign language, and commit to using the language every day.

Prefixes that derive from Greek can help you improve your English vocabulary.

You need an advance directive, a statement directing decisions about life-sustaining medical care after you are no longer able to communicate your wishes.

An advance directive is a statement that you make in advance of the time that it is needed directing decisions about life-sustaining medical care after you are no longer able to communicate your wishes.

Remains of iguanodons have been found on every continent except Antarctica, in a range of sizes, and covering much of the time dinosaurs lived.

Although the subjunctive is on the fringes of modern English, using the subjunctive correctly can affect the meaning of a sentence.

Judith, the story of an early Jewish heroine, was included in the 1611 King James Version but is not included in modern Protestant editions of the Bible

Seven pairs of prefixes with opposite meanings open up many news words in English.

I am an old hand when it comes to tropical storms and hurricanes. I'm experiencing tropical storm Fay fatigue.

When English lost the words thou and thee, it lost layers of expression that we do not have today.

Alzheimer's Disease touches the lives of everyone who knows a person with Alzheimer's.

You can download a library of texts and audio representing all the different traditions of Buddhism for free.

What's not to love about prefixes? My question provides a hint about the prefixes that I have discovered (that is, uncovered) for this article: prefixes that have a negative meaning.

Barack Obama follows such sinister presidents (from both parties) as Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush (the First), Bill Clinton, Harry Truman, Herbert Hoover, and James Garfield.

The prefixes demi-, hemi-, and semi- remind us of the rich history of English and help us figure out new words.

Approaching new words by understanding their prefixes is one way to increase your vocabulary.

The original edition of the King James Version of the Bible included fourteen books that are usually left out of modern versions.

Try to unscramble the names of the signers of the Declaration of Independence in this anagram game for the Fourth of July.

Fifteen links for free Fourth of July coloring pages

Sylvan Goldman, an Oklahoma grocery store owner during the Depression, created the first shopping cart.

MyGallons allows consumers to purchase gas at today's price and use it in the future when prices probably will be higher.

Cereality, more about selling a return to childhood than about selling food, continues to slide in this turbulent economy.

Florida joins other states in criminalizing salvia, a drug which had been sold in stores throughout the state.

Sam's Club customers are having to cope with square plastic milk bottles that the retailer says are good for the environment.

In the new music economy, based on the Internet, free music downloads may make more money than CD's.

Cream cheese, blueberries, and strawberries make this pizza recipe a hit for the Fourth of July

Content Provider SkyeDanzer share her knowledge, interviews other content providers, and makes AC a vibrant community.

Mahayana Buddhism offers many varieties of Buddhist experience, drawing on cultural and personal differences.

Angelica, a herb with a long history of uses, may be dangerous if used improperly.

In 1934, Caroline Miller became the first writer from Georgia to win the Pulitzer Prize, with her first novel, Lamb in His Bosom.

I am sharing with AC Content Providers five topics that a friend challenged me to write on.

As sexual harassment complaints decline, more men than ever are filing sexual harassment complaints against women.

Buddhists believe in heavens and hells, which are temporary states, not places of eternal punishment or reward.

Some Western paleontologists believe that some dinosaur discoveries in China may be fakes.

Through adaptive software, screen-reader and magnification programs, blind people can access computers and level the field for jobs, education, or recreation.

There are two troops of wild monkeys enjoying life in Central Florida.

Through most of human history, beer has been regarded as a food, vital to health and happiness, not as a social scourge.

Most Western Buddhists are not comfortable with the ghosts and gods that are part of traditional Buddhism

Sound therapy or audiotherapy is used to restore a missing balance to human beings through sound or waves applied to the body.

In Land Before Time and Jurassic Park, Hollywood movie makers misrepresented Triceratops and Dilophosaurus for entertainment.

Just how patriotic or just how religious should a church service and its hymns be? What belongs to Caesar, and what belongs to God?

President Bush selects six recipients of the US's highest civilian award.

Every year, the National Hurricane Center issues a list of men's and women's names for hurricanes. What do those names tell us?

Lyme disease, spread by the bite of infected ticks, can be prevented without giving up fun outdoors.

Fanciful dinosaur recipes to get children interested in cooking

An international network of women are using Panties for Peace to disturb the superstitious generals ruling Myanmar.

The B-52s were named in honor of a towering hairstyle that their singers no longer wear.

A guide to tea, herbal tisanes, sweeteners, ice, other liquids to add, and assorted garnishes to enhance your iced tea experience all summer

I figured out how an English major could become a millionaire on eBay, selling penis enhancement tapes.

"The Swear Jar" is a jar into which anyone using offensive language must pay a fine.

Since diaper duties are not just for mothers anymore, why not pick a diaper bag for a Father's Day gift?

Esperanza Spalding's first name means "hope," and that is what she gives jazz fans.

Although dry drownings are rare, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental deaths among children.

The concept of general karma holds that a country as a whole may suffer for the actions of the country.

FileMail, Google Docs, and Box.net you can store, send, and share your files

Tokyo Rose was a loyal American citizen who smuggled food to POW's during the war and later received a presidential pardon.

"Purported uses" of pennyroyal include asthma, bronchitis, cancer, colic, common cold, headaches, inflammation, influenza, stomach and intestinal gas, toothache, insect repellant, and induce abortion.

William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw) was so hated by the British that he was executed as a traitor although he was not British.

Men experience "andropause" or "male menopause," declining levels of the male hormone testosterone.

Saw palmetto is an herbal remedy used as an aphrodisiac and to treat infections, coughs and respiratory congestion. Modern medicine has not fully accepted it.

The Romans knew and wrote about this plant in the first century of the Christian era, and Native Americans shared it with white settlers.

Tomatoes are not the easiest vegetables for a beginner's garden.

The Baha'i faith accepts evolution, recognizing the unity of the truths of religion and science.

Since the word was coined, ecofeminism has become a positive analysis of human life and ecology.

For thousands of years, people have explained earthquakes as manifestations of divine anger.

Aura therapy treats an energy field, an aura, some believe surrounds a human body.

Lobelia can cure, kill, brighten a garden, or treat methamphetamine addiction.

At all three, families and classes can have fun, share a picnic, learn something, dig for fossils, or just enjoy hanging out with the dinosaurs.

Hindu statues supposedly drink milk, and Catholic statues cry. Are these miracles?

The Dogan know a great deal of astronomy, specifically about the star Sirius and its accompanying system of stars, not discovered until modern times.

Whatever makes it work has remained hidden to scientists, who cannot account for its various qualities as a stimulant, an aphrodisiac and a hallucinogen.

Crystals can be used to diagnose or cure diseases by enhancing or unblocking energy in the person who receives the treatment.

Plumerias or frangipani are beautiful plants native to warm tropical areas around the world, and they have been further introduced into most tropical areas where they were not found naturally.

Apitherapy is derived from the Latin apis, "bee," and refers to the use of injectable bee venom solution or live bee stings. Apitherapists claim that bee venom will reduce inflammation and might strengthen the immune system.

The verbs sit and set, lie and lay, are confusing, but both sets of verbs have the same problem.

Pure Land Buddhism is a way for anyone to transcend the burdens of karma that they carry and attain nirvana by relying on the Buddha Amitabha.

Buddhist morality is based on living skillfully, without harm or disrespect to anyone, including oneself.

Throughout the history of Myanmar (Burma), Buddhist monks have been a force for good, standing up to dictators, colonizers, and cyclones.

Hagee's anti-Catholicism is not casual misinterpretation to gloss over with a politically expedient apology. Anti-Catholicism is an recurring theme in the history of the United States, and it needs a more attention.

Subjects should agree with their verbs. In other words, a singular subject must be followed by a singular verb, and a plural subject must take a plural verb.

Paleontologists have recently discovered that fossils of dinosaur bones show growth lines, like the growth rings of trees, and they are using this new evidence to determine the lifespan of dinosaurs.

Theravada, one of the two surviving Buddhist paths, is the closest in language and in content to the earliest written records of the teachings of the historical Buddha.

How would you complete this, "When I use the word success, it means --, neither more nor less"?

Opened in 1971 as the Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel, this shrine in the mountains of New Mexico continues to be a place of memory, hope, and healing for Vietnam veterans and others.

For over two centuries, Oak Island has resisted all efforts to solve its mystery and claim its buried treasure from its notorious "Money Pit."

Legends persist until modern times that a magnificent land off the coast of England disappeared in a flood in 1099.

One of the most important figures in Buddhism is the bodhisattva, a wise, compassionate being who delays his or her own entrance into buddhahood for the good of ll beings.

An encounter with a lizard in my bathroom taught me some ancient Buddhist truths.

If it is legal in your state and munitipality, you can create a cheap homemade wine with no special equipment or exotic ingredients.

Fossilized dinosaur feces can give us a great deal of information about dinosaurs, their food, and the world they lived in.

The enigmatic Turkish mariner and mapmaker Piri Reis drew an amazing map in 1513 that showed Antarctica, which was not discovered until 1818.

For centuries, people in Britain have reported seeing mysterious big cats that science has yet to confirm.

When you feel that you are ready to commit to being a Buddhist, there is simple, ancient formula that you can recite by yourself to do so.

Although it may be hard for us to understand many of the beliefs of the FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints), they tap into universal feelings about the color red in their prohibition against wearing it.

Tyrannosaurus rex fascinates people with its power and reputation.

Honoring one's parents is an important part of Buddhist teaching. Mother's Day would be a good time to call your parents' attention to this fact

Dinosaur names - what they mean, where they come from, how to have fun with them

Learn about the sounds, colors, sounds, and sex lives of the always popular prehistoric animals.

Like many primitive people, the early residents of the Americas had an advanced knowledge of astronomy and a high developed calendar.

From the way they are named to the way they have been protested, these two wars illustrate something fundamental about the character of the United States.

Acupuncture, herbs, cupping, and moxibustion are among the treatments available in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Uses of the herbal antibiotic echinacea

A summary of the uses and effects of St. John's wort, an herbal anti-depressant