As I wrote above, it's labor day in America, which I'm actually spending working on my day job -- it's September, or as we call it in Academia, "the Apocalypse." So, in celebration of this day of rest, Corbett-877 is taking the day. He may show up later in the week, mind. I rather like this episode.… Continue reading It’s Labor Day in America! Also, Open Myth Call for the Autumn!
Category: Mythology
The Mythology of the Modern World, as told by me.
Why do things break right as their warranties expire?
And we're back! Last week ended up being problematic for a number of reasons. My apologies for the silence -- suffice it to say, we have had a stern talking to with the actors and the union has negotiated in good faith, so we think we should be back in business. Which brings us to today's… Continue reading Why do things break right as their warranties expire?
Ball Lightning, Missing Socks, Drawer Crud and the Protectors of the Hearth
When I first mentioned that Banter Latte would be coming back, and the myths along with it, I solicited new myth questions on my Tumblr and my Twitter feeds, respectively. And I got a lot of good questions from both sources, which you'll be seeing crop up hither and yon. One response I got was from… Continue reading Ball Lightning, Missing Socks, Drawer Crud and the Protectors of the Hearth
Time Zones and the Witching Hour.
Today we've got a couple of sources for our myth -- one old and one new. One from last month, with old friend PlaidPhantom, who asks: Here's one, since I'm on vacation right now: what's the deal with time zones? The other is from back in 2007, when Super Prattle Droid asked: How do time… Continue reading Time Zones and the Witching Hour.
Why are the ideas of things scarier than the reality?
And here we are on Monday, and the Mythology of the Modern World is happily open for business. Today, our question comes from an old friend not only of Banter Latte and Websnark but even random noodlings and writings for the In Nomine role playing game over at Steve Jackson Games. Moe Lane -- an excellent writer of… Continue reading Why are the ideas of things scarier than the reality?
The Fruit Fly and the Nymph of Time
Another Monday, and another explanation of how the world works, behind the scenes. And, as with so many of these 'things,' we're clearing out the backlog of topics from... well, 2007. I feel like I should be tracking things with Gantt charts. Today, thankfully, we have a twofer. Two separate questions can be merged together into one… Continue reading The Fruit Fly and the Nymph of Time
The Souls of Toys
We're back, and it's time once more for the Mythology of the Modern World. Today's myth comes to us via a question asked by Paul Gadzikowski, legend of Microsoft Paint before it was cool. His question is one asked by many people, both children and people who had been children once upon a time. To… Continue reading The Souls of Toys
Where do babies come from? I mean, really come from?
One of the things about a five and a half-year absence is you get a certain... backlog. Especially when you do things like answer questions and explain things about the hidden world behind our own. Some folks have wondered if I'm nervous if the current myth calls are quiet. The answer there is, simply enough,… Continue reading Where do babies come from? I mean, really come from?
Open Myth Call: June 1-7
Back when the world was new and this blog was as well, we had a tradition. On Saturdays, there would be an open thread -- once a month, that thread would serve as a call for myths that need answering. Well, the open threads never got much traffic -- almost as if there wasn't a… Continue reading Open Myth Call: June 1-7
Mythology of the Modern World: Aren’t I Just Ripping Off John Hodgman?
Welcome back to Banter Latte. We apologize for the brief interruption of service. Long time readers will remember that we answer questions about the Mythology of the Modern World -- the mythological underpinnings that lie beneath the surface, which explain how the universe works in a way that is comprehensible. That the universe is in… Continue reading Mythology of the Modern World: Aren’t I Just Ripping Off John Hodgman?
Prosperina: A Mythology of the Modern World Holiday Special
We have returned, with a special myth. It's also a long one, to warn -- though I don't think people will complain. Unless, of course, they do. People find the time to complain, sometimes. This is a holiday special, though the holiday in question is somewhat vague. I don't think we can call it Christmas,… Continue reading Prosperina: A Mythology of the Modern World Holiday Special
Why do people check the time on mobile phones instead of watches?
It was a week of system issues and exhaustion, but that is done and now it's Myth Time again, and with a little luck we'll be on the full on normal schedule again starting this week. Starting off, we're going back to Banter Latte pal CrazyDave, who asks us: Why have people stopped wearing watches… Continue reading Why do people check the time on mobile phones instead of watches?
