As I have mentioned, CHRISTIANITY: THE FIRST THREE THOUSAND YEARS gets its subtitle from the fact that it begins by exploring the centuries leading up to the founding of the religion. In that spirit, I plan to write a book called THE "BLOG": THE FIRST THREE THOUSAND YEARS, because surely many historic forces have combined to culminate in the mighty edifice of learning and knowledge you see before you. For example, ask any sane person to list the "blog's" three main preoccupations and that person will say 1) Unicorns 2) AUTHOR! AUTHOR! 3) the "Mr. Wabenlotnee" gag from the Jerry Lewis film THE ERRAND BOY. Now I would ask you to thoroughly examine the clip from that old bit of programming I used to work on with Mr. Ward, Kent, and Mike Mitchell. Yes, examine it again and again with an archaeological eye! You will be alarmed and amazed to discover that even then, in the 1990s, an era that is shrouded in mystery, back before anyone knew what a "blog" was, the images and notions that were later to become "blog" staples remarkably existed in nebulous form. Observe! At the :37 mark, the actress Jennifer Grant is mentioned. She is the daughter of AUTHOR! AUTHOR! star Dyan Cannon (and father Cary Grant). At 1:46, Clint Eastwood is described riding a unicorn. And finally, at 2:32, Kent and his puppet friend do a variation on the classic Wabenlotnee bit. The roots of the "blog" reach far, far back into the misty mists of time. Have fun discovering your own exciting facts about the "blog's" incredible pre-history. You don't have anything else to do! Look at you!
