The deadliest wars, both in terms of raw numbers and casualties as percent of world population, have been secular. (That of course does not mean "atheist," but it is meaningfully distinct from "religious.") The World Wars and wars of conquest in East Asia (the Mongol invasions, infighting in China, etc.) were FAR more…

In Through the Out Door would no longer be a Led Zeppelin album. It would be the abortive debut of some supergroup of aging rockers from the '60s.

Homosexuals were not burned at stake (re: Louie). That is an inaccurate claim- it was a practice used for suspected witches, heretics, and traitors. There is no reason to think either "fag—t" or "flaming" are derived from burning at stake. That's a classic example of folk etymology.

Homosexuality was not (at least not customarily) punished by burning at stake. There is no reason to think that either "faggot" or "flaming" have anything to do with burning at stake.

I know a guy named Connor Patrick Collins. If there were only an "O'" in there, somewhere, you'd be at the maximum possible Irish density.

The plot of The Forty Year Old Virgin revolved around Steve Carrell chasing a GILF, lest we forget.

That's exactly what I thought.

I would've loved to see an installment focusing more on Stephen's espionage. He's one of my favorite characters in literature: so unimposing, seemingly so harmless- but then he cold stabs some fuckers in the neck or pistols a dude at range and recovers state secrets.

I've always felt that Cryer was the true half-man. So that would imply that a lesbian is a man.

I think the Banquo murder corresponds more closely to Walt watching Jane die. It indicates that he is going further over the edge, but he still might be able to stop himself (after all, both are haunted by the guilt from those deeds). But Macbeth killing Macduff's family begins the set-piece leading to his own death,…

I wrote a whole thing about Macbeth before I checked to see if anyone else was talking about it (oops), but I think Jesse is actually the Lady Macbeth figure.

I'm part-way convinced that the writers are consciously trying to evoke Macbeth. Walter, like Macbeth, is considered a good man at the open- "Brave Macbeth!"- but is driven by some revelation (cancer and the witches, respectively) to do evil. Both, at the beginning, seem to believe that it will have a finite and…

I love Idris Elba, but I can't see him in that role. Even when he does comedy (e.g., The Office), he's more a slow burn than over the top wacky.

What about the Caribbean? There's a reason Jamaican English sounds very much like British English…

The chloroform works. The credit card doesn't.

I'll find a fatter Neil!

YOU'RE HISTORY'S GREATEST MONSTER

Did you listen to "Come Sail Away" by Styx again?

Yeah, they… they own that, now. Squatter's rights, possession is 90% of the law… however you wanna justify it.

The first blow dart hit me in the neck. The second hit me in the leg. After that, I blacked out. When I woke up, I asked Lelani how many blow darts had hit me. She seemed annoyed. "What am I," she said, "your personal blow dart counter?"