Häxan

A magazine I was reading a few years ago made reference to a film by the film director Benjamin Christensen in 1922 ....

Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages

The film (supposedly a 'documentary' ... like the nudist films of the 1960's) was called Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, and was described as having some shocking scenes of the devil, cannibalism and baby sacrifice, especially for the times.

Another One Bites The Dust?

I have not revisited the Samuel Smith empire for some time, but my attention was drawn to them again by an email from a Sam Smiths regular near Blackpool. In particular informing me to the plight of yet another of the brewing empires formerly popular (and apparently once thriving) pubs ...

The Victoria Hotel In Cleveleys Near Blackpool

.... The Victoria Hotel in Cleveleys, near Blackpool. Which according to the informant (who requested no name, or even a hint), has seemingly fallen on some harder times since the Covid lockdowns, when according to the email, recovery for this pub was slow.

Latest Spree Killer

 Here we go again .....

Robert Card - Latest Spree Killer USA

.... at least 18 dead (and possibly more), and an unconfirmed number of injured (but at least 13), as yet again some malcontent decides to grab 15 minutes of infamy, and goes on a killing spree. The state (which is the whitest in the USA), had only had 29 homicides in 2022, so he's likely nearly matched that in a few hours.

Passing Of A Real Legend

 Just a quick post on the passing today of a true sporting legend. 

Sir Robert (Bobby) Charlton CBE, OBE

I was lucky enough to see Bobby Charlton play for Manchester United at Old Trafford and for England, as well as on the few televised football games shown in the 1960's and early 1970's.

A Beautiful Solar System

We live in a beautiful Solar System .....

The Beautiful Solar System

That's always brought home to me whenever I see a picture of the solar system.

A Modern Bluebeard

When I was a child I remember hearing the Germanic tale of 'Bluebeard' a wealthy and powerful nobleman, who marries woman after woman, afterwards killing each bride after collecting their dowries.

Bluebeard ~ The Serial Wife Killer

 

In the original versions of the tale, the motive for these killings isn't exactly as clear cut in those early folk versions. But when I heard the story as a kid, it was clearly for the money, and other cultures also have stories on the same theme e.g. the French story entitled The White Dove.

Sometimes Its Hard To Be A Woman

Sometimes it's hard to be a woman ...

Its Hard To Be A Woman

... or so the song says.

Unicorn Wishes

 What girl doesn't want a pet unicorn ......

Unicorn - North Wales?

... its even better than a pony.

Speech Is Only Free For Some

 Religion is threatening to destroy free speech and choice in the UK .....

The Lady Of Heaven

..... that's the only conclusion one can draw from the news that a few hundred protestors, have been able to stop the Cineworld chain from screening the film 'The Lady of Heaven'.

Terror In Israel

The images being shown from Israel this week, after the ISIS style mass terrorist attack from the Gaza strip by the animals of Hamas have been frankly very disturbing.

Hostages Face Terror In Gaza

 .... the terror on a young woman, Noa Argamani's face, as she is hauled away to be kept possibly for years as a hostage, and probably being abused, is not something I'll easily forget. I certainly couldn't face looking at the pictures or video's that Hamas put out while committing these barbarous acts.

Plumbing The Depths

Florida is a never ending source of the strange and wonderful of human behaviour .....

Large Storm Drains Are Ubiquitous In The USA

I have to suspect its the heat, malaria carrying mosquito's, lack of free psychiatric help and drugs.

Taiwan's Economic Miracle

Amongst the recent tensions over the visit of Nancy Pelosi, a high ranking US politician, to the island of Taiwan (officially the Republic of China [ROC]) ...

Nancy Pelosi In Taiwan

It's often forgotten that although the Peoples Republic of China makes aggressive claims to Taiwan being an integral part of China (along with various islands across the South China sea), in point of fact Taiwan had been ceded to the Empire of Japan in 1895.

Armenian's Have Long Memories

The Muslim Azerbaijanis aided by their allies the Turks have just conquered the Christian Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh (who were also abandoned by the Russians, who were supposed to be their allies and peace protectors) ....

Armenian Refugees - Sensible To Flee?

.... And 101,000 of the 120,000 inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh (known as Arsakh's) flee from the fear of the rapes and killings that the takeover threatens for them.