religion

Happy Imbolc and St. Brigid’s Day to You

There were four major “fire” festivals for the ancient Celts marking the turn of the seasons — Beltane, Lughnasadh, Samhain, and Imbolc. These were the holy-days that fell halfway between the a solstice and an equinox. Imbolc falls between the winter solstice  (Yule) and the spring equinox (Easter/Lady Day), around 1 February in the Latin calendar, and it marked the Celtic… Read more Happy Imbolc and St. Brigid’s Day to You

Mari Lwyd Rides in the Vale of Glamorgan

The Mari Lwyd is a traditional folk custom that managed to survive in South Wales, particularly around the area of Glamorgan. It involves a hobby horse, which is a horse’s skull mounted on a pole with glass eyes, being carried by a person hidden under a large sheet of decorated white cloth, and it can freak… Read more Mari Lwyd Rides in the Vale of Glamorgan

Star Trek, Edward I, and the Execution of William Wallace

The is an episode of Star Trek (Original Series) called “The Enemy Within” that’s stuck with me since I was a kid. The premise is simple – “A transporter malfunction splits Captain Kirk into two halves: one meek and indecisive, the other violent and ill tempered. The remaining crew members stranded on the planet cannot… Read more Star Trek, Edward I, and the Execution of William Wallace

Gee, WHY was Henry VIII so egotistical?

Some people have argued that Henry VIII was clearly a psychopath, since psychopaths evince a “glib and superficial charm, grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self, need for stimulation, pathological lying, cunning and manipulativeness, lack of remorse or guilt, shallow affect (superficial emotional responsiveness), callousness and lack of empathy, parasitic lifestyle, poor behavioral controls, sexual promiscuity,… Read more Gee, WHY was Henry VIII so egotistical?