Witchcraft And Freethinking
Via Sahara Reporters (and on Facebook), which describes itself as: an outstanding, groundbreaking website that encourages citizen journalists to report ongoing corruption and government malfeasance in Africa. comes this nice, short article by Leo Igwe on witchcraft accusations and freethought in Africa. Covered in the piece are descriptions of “witch camps”, areas where those accused of devilry are sent out to live, and something of which I wasn’t aware (but see here for some photos by Jane Hahn). I suppose I’d always assumed that where such accusations still thrived the penalty was usually more severe than simple banishment. Northern Ghana is a region of gods, of dogmatic belief in gods. Apart from the gods of christianity and islam, there are innumerable other so called local or smaller gods. Some local priests and soothsayers ‘consult’ these gods. They are actually the mouthpiece of these gods. These local priests and soothsayers often under the influence of a local gin called Akpateshi or Pito, communicate god’s messages to the people including pointing out who is responsible for death and diseases in families and communities. Quite amazing and often nasty the sorts of things your local god will say to you after you’ve been drinking! A good article and some good comments; I particularly like the suggestion by Emeka K Duru to slaughter multiple chickens during innocent/guilt divinations as well as a control chicken against someone definitely innocent like, for example, the priest’s child. Worth a...
Car-Shaped UFO
The New Zealand Herald reports on a mysterious incident involving several vehicles and something from another planet!!! Or possibly another vehicle. UFO sighting leaves West Coast man ‘bug eyed’: “I was changing a CD as I was driving and when I looked up I saw what looked like a car without its lights on, stopped in the middle of the road outside Shantytown. I slammed on my brakes and my eyes were still trying to focus, when suddenly the thing just lit up and shot into the sky,” Mr Robert said. Immediately, we’ve got a good eyewitness here; someone who wasn’t paying attention to the road and who admits that his eyes weren’t in focus when the thing he was barely looking at shaped like a car and parked on a road up ahead suddenly switched its lights on. No object of this world would do something like that! The rest of the article contains more chilling evidence of the extraterrestrial...
Not So Gentle Ben
CBS show-pitching office, February, 1965. “Come in and take a seat please, Mister… let’s see… Howard? Is that right?” “Yes. Thank you, thank you.” “Well, why don’t you get right down to it then? This is the CBS show-pitching office so let’s hear your pitch for a show.” “Thank you, thank you. Sorry, I’m very nervous.” “In your own time.” “Okay, my idea is this: it’s a family show…” “What do you mean by that, exactly? A show for the family, or featuring a family?” “Oh, sorry. Yes, er, both actually. Families will love this but it’s based around the adventures of a family.” “It’s not in space, is it? Only we’ve got one we’re launching later this year with a family called the Robinsons, a robot, and an old man with a thing for the youngest kid. It’s going to be called Pederast In Space unless the censors get their way. We’re hoping it will really fuel further interest in space exploration and aid with the formation of something called NAMBLA. I can’t tell you any more than that so keep it under your hat, hush-hush, right?” “Oh, yeah, sure. No problem. Er, no, no it’s not in space. But there are some similarities.” “Similarities is good. We’re much more likely to fund a pilot if we can remove the risk of doing anything new and exciting. Go on.” “Er, well, okay, so if you replace the robot with a bear…” “I like it!” “… and space with Florida…” “That could work I suppose.” “… then, well, that’s it. It’s a family show with adventures. Mom, pop, little kid, and bear.” “Hmmm.” “Mostly the little kid and the bear.” “Better!” “It, er, could boost tourism in Florida. And interest in bears.” “Interest in bears is good. Let me write that down. Interest. In. Bears. Lovely. And did you have any idea for potential actors? Anybody in particular you see playing any of these roles?” “Well, I know it’s a bit of a cheek but… my son?” “If he’s cheap then you can be as cheeky as you like. What’s he like?” “I’ve got a picture. Here.” “Thank you, has he had any acting… Good grief! What’s wrong with his face?” “That’s just the way he looks. I’ve written some details about him here.” “Okay, let’s have a… What!? You can’t call a kid that!” “Clint?” “Clint?! Oh! Oh! Yeah, it’s written in all capitals. Now I see. Whew! Yeah, that was crazy for a few seconds there. Oh right, so he has some experience then. Okay, okay. Maybe. Why don’t we move swiftly along then? You’ve got some...
Fashion Faves – Juju Ivanyuk
I must confess to not having heard of Ukrainian model Yuliya “Juju” Ivanyuk before but if there are two things that are guaranteed to grab my attention then those would be a great-looking photoshoot and sharing a nickname with something more typically attributed with West African witchcraft. Handy tip for up-and-coming models looking to catch my eye (there might be some; you don’t know for certain): “Macumba” is still not taken on the catwalks. To the photoshoot then, which comes – as it so often does – from Fashion Gone Rogue; Nihat Odabasi is the man behind the camera for this set of photos for Gizia. Retro meets science fiction in either a vintage vision of judo suits of the future or an outfit reminiscent of Logan’s Run. The latter, naturally, immediately brings to mind Jenny Agutter and I don’t think I need to say anything else. Don’t mind me. I’m just having a quick think about Jenny Agutter in Logan’s Run here. Anyhoo… great, sharp angles in the photo formed by the arm, the leg, and the set design. They have to be prominent to compete with Juju’s cheekbones. Lovely. For the second image an interesting – okay, disturbingly psychotic if we’re being honest – look from Juju which matches the rather odd clothing style being modelled; fur attached to part of what might be a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man by brass staples. It’s a bit steampunk, a bit cavemanpunk, and a bit inflatablefetishpunk. It should sell well in Turkey if I know the target audience of Gizia half as well as I think I do. For the last of Nihat’s photos I’ve chosen to look at it’s this one which showcases some great control of light on the well-designed set as well as an attractive contrast between the various lines and curves in the photo; more importantly is the way in which the picture – thanks to the way in which Yuliya is posing with this outfit – brings to mind a mermaid. Or, because of the colouring and lack of scales, maybe a half-woman, half-orca. Merwhale? Whalemaid? I can’t believe there isn’t a word of one of those things already. Anyway, don’t let that detract from your appreciation of the photo and don’t feel you should consider searching online to see if you can find the word for a human-mammal-fishy-mammal chimera just to show how smart you...
Unicorn Four
Footage from cancelled 1970s science fiction show Unicorn Four. Unicorn Four… where the future is the future! And here’s the pitch for the show, because you looked like you were about to ask:
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