catapult magazine

vol. 8, num. 18 :: 2009.09.18 — 2009.10.01

You’ve probably heard any number of statistics about the beneficial relationship between laughter and physical health. Aside from what hard data can prove, what is the role of humor in society? How about comedic and satirical forms of art? And before things get too serious: got any good jokes?

Feature

A happy waste of time

by The *cino Community

Web sites that make you laugh...sometimes.

Editorial

25 grams of laughter

by Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma

On Jean Vanier's prescription for processing anguish.

Articles

Loving life, loving laughter

by Sophie Blanc

A reflection on growing up in -- and growing -- a family that loves to laugh.

Worst Christmas ever

by Andrew Rogers

Some stories are only kind of funny in distant retrospect...

Kid stories

by The *cino Community

Why are kids so stinking funny? Share your favorite stories.

Reviews

A recall for arms

by Mitchell Terpstra

A review of Armageddon in Retrospecti, Kurt Vonnegut's posthumously published collection of short stories and other bits.

Byron’s Recommendations 9.18.09

by Byron Borger

Mini-reviews of three new books that will make you smile: on parenting, plenty and pranking.

Gallery

In case you missed it the first time

The gift of laughter

by Barbara Lee

Is laughter even appropriate in a world with so much suffering?

Holy laughter

by Steve Lansingh

On how ?a merry heart doeth like a medicine.?

Weaving the web

Virtual Church of the Blind Chihuahua

As the home page advises, “Click and ye shall find. Bring your brain and your sense of humor. Bring your dogma if it doesn’t bite.”

daily asterisk

Even in a country you know by heart
its hard to go the same way twice
the life of the going changes.
The chances change and make a new way.
Any tree or stone or bird
can be the bud of a new direction. The
natural correction is to make intent
of accident. To get back before dark
is the art of going.

Wendell Berry
“Traveling at Home” from Traveling at Home

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