The Explorers Club
No. CXXIX - The life and infamous career of Matthew Hopkins (c. 1620-47), self-proclaimed "Witch-finder General" of England.






This seems as good a time as any to admit to a possibly controversial personal belief: of those accused of witchcraft over the ages, especially in Europe and its colonies during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and put to death, I am certain a dreadful percentage were innocents, but, by the same token, I am equally certain some percentage were guilty of actual witchcraft and trafficking with fiends. Angels and devils are as real as the Risen Christ, and devils live to ensnare mortal souls by enticing them into heresy and sin. So, why not witchcraft? I'm not talking about magic or somesuch superstitious nonsense, I am talking about the select use of the profane power still present in devils from their time as angels before the Rebellion and War in Heaven. Old Scratch is real, his legions of devils are real, and I find no reason to believe that there are not sons of Adam and daughters of Eve so debased as to have surrendered themselves in service to the Archfiend's infernal will, to the peril of their immortal souls.

The Stars My Destination
The Atlantis has grappled the Hubble, paving the way for repairs and renovations to begin: rendezvous in spacelink. My Bog, we live in an age of wonders. (I'll save the opening lines of The Stars My Destination for another time.)

Obamboozled
Hey, look at that, an action of President Obama's with which I agree: photographlink. The only way this presidency won't end in unmitigated disaster for these United States (and the free world that is unwilling to defend itself and yet chafes at our protection) is if Mr. Obama turns out to have been lying about many more of his campaign promises. I decry the bill of goods he sold his pudding-minded supporters, but I am glad he decided, for once, not to play politics (and dice) with our national security. You made the right decision, sir. Good on you.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
James Darren, "That Old Black Magic" from This One's From the Heart (T.L.A.M.)