Banter Bites

Why Are We Posting "Older" Banter Bites?

Design by Sawyer Pennington

Define "older" ... because in today's world of social media and "instant news" even something from earlier in the day can be considered old or outdated.

In mid-March, we started posting Banter Bites to our Twitter and Facebook pages. Feedback was almost instant as people told us they're fun and quick to read. But also relevant to their day-to-day lives – and not just on the day they're published. In other words, they don't have an expiration date!

So, how do we define "older"? Well, in terms of our Banter Bites, we define "older" as anything prior to when we launched this new site. In terms of anything else, well ... that's a loaded question. (FYI, whenever Red mentions that Black's her older sister, Black's quick to point out ... and wiser.)

Stay tuned for more Banter Bites to be posted. And to get Red & Black Banter in your inbox, sign up on the "sticky bar" at the bottom of this page.

This is one of Red’s favorite Banter Bites in large part because of Black’s “corny” puns, but also because fresh corn is a summer staple – whether cooked on the grill or in the microwave, whether eaten on its own or as a primary ingredient in refreshing summer salads


This may be one of the corniest things you’ll ever read.

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: It’s just a vegetable, so how can it possibly elicit such a strong reaction from Red, while, for Black, it’s more a source of amusement and even, it turns out, admiration?

Keep Reading ...Show less

Think you can avoid artificial intelligence? Think again …

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Red already fights technology at every turn, preferring to keep her ostrich head in the sand, plus, she finds Artificial Intelligence (AI) scary; whereas Black knows ignoring reality merely postpones the inevitable, so she’s started playing with AI to understand it better …

Keep Reading ...Show less

A man better known for his death than his life, although Red, the straight-A student and history lover, immediately thinks of the costly and controversial movie of his life. (Well, technically, it was the life of Cleopatra.) Black, of course, focuses on business – leadership lessons, including the power of words, although she surprises Red with some food trivia. But the fact July’s named after him is the perfect excuse to rerun one of Red’s favorite Banter Bites …

Quick! If someone says "Julius Caesar," what comes to mind?

BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Almost everyone has heard of Julius Caesar, but how many of us really know much about him, or at least that's what Red starts to wonder when she receives the usual flippant, but still accurate, reply from her sister, after feeling very proud that she knew that July was named after the famous Roman.

Keep Reading ...Show less