rlgeerrobbins

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The Secrets of Paris' Underground: Catacombs Explained

Site History | Catacombes de Paris (Public Domain) Friends, Death is inevitable—a certainty which no one has ever been able to escape. It finds the rich, the poor, the powerful, and the weak. However you may view the afterlife, whether as the next great adventure or a permanent escape, death is the one thing you can count on. You will meet at some point. Throughout history, cultures,…

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The Journey of Flóki: Myths, Birds, and Viking Exploration

Tapestry embroidery featuring Viking Floki Vilgerdarsson and crew. (Public Domain) Friends, My husband and I love watching the series Vikings on Netflix. We have a habit of starting a series and pausing halfway through because something else has caught our eye. Still, we keep coming back to the story of Ragnar Lothbrok, Lagertha, Bjorn, Rollo, and devilish Englishmen and Frenchmen who are…

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From Myth to Reality: Shield Maidens Explored

Hervor dying after the Battle of the Goths and Huns, by Peter Nicolai Arbo. Friends, Shield Maidens. A popular term that has reemerged due to hit Netflix shows such as Vikings and Game of Thrones—women warriors who exceed expectations with their beauty, cunning, and fighting ability. I won’t lie- watching these women in action makes me want to learn how to wield a sword and battle axe. But…

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The evolution of the words Heathen and Pagan illustrates the complexities of language and spirituality. So, how did they transform into derogatory terms?

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In a shocking turn of events, a new Pope was selected, and he happens to be an American. A new era dawns as we await what happens next.

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Mythology and Modern Life: Understanding Our Ancestral Roots

Friends, Beltane is over. I walked my little garden early this morning, wondering- ‘Now what?’ Usually, when I get bored, I find new things to research. New links between mythology, or sometimes, I trudge through American history. Mostly, I find obscure stories that are trending on social media and try to see if they have any historical facts to substantiate them. Rarely do they. Lately, most…

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Did you know you could have a Maypole with no ribbons and still celebrate May Day? And still be historically accurate? Let me tell you why.

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Spring is approaching, so it is time to start prepping for Beltane and enjoy the reawakening of this amazing world.

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A study of Serbian folklore led me to start planning my garden, and now I am the soon-to-be proud owner of two goats and maybe some chickens. #gardening

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Tell us what you really think.

14 hours offline and Americans got to see what the rest of the world really thinks about us. It was brutal.

Some would say leave a good thing alone. Some might even caution me to stop watching the train wreck. But I can’t tear my eyes away. Now, in the less than 24 hours that TikTok was ‘dark’, I got a lot accomplished. Not because TikTok was inaccessible but because I had a gallon of paint sitting in my laundry room for over a month, and it was time to tackle the eyesore of my guest…

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End of an era- the TikTok ban

They say it's the end of an era. And I would have to agree. But I think this was about more than a social media platform.

They say it’s the end of an era. And I would have to agree. The TikTok ban went into effect last night in the U.S. after a little over a year of debate about whether the government would use its power to shut down an app that it said posed a national security threat. There are many theories about why TikTok was targeted. Maybe Meta lobbied to take it down because it was losing profit margins.…

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This Day In History- 31 Oct

This Day In History- The greatest magician and escape artist of the 20th century, Harry Houdini, passes away in a Detroit hospital due to peritonitis.

“My Two Sweethearts” – Houdini with his mother and wife, c. 1907 31 Oct 1926—This day in history— The world-famous escape artist and magician Harry Houdini passed away in a Detroit hospital due to peritonitis. A few days prior, Houdini made a comment about the strength of his stomach muscles during a lecture in Montreal and was unexpectedly punched twice by a student. Unprepared for the blows,…

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This Day In History- 30 Oct

This Day In History- October 30th, 1938, people all over America listened to Orson Welles's retelling of "The War of the Worlds." What came next was unexpected.

Orson Welles (arms raised) rehearses his radio depiction of H.G. Wells’ classic, The War of the Worlds. © Bettmann/CORBIS 30 Oct 1938—This day in history—Orson Welles’s adaptation of The War of the Worlds is broadcast through the crackling airwaves of the radio. The soundscape created by advanced sound effects and skilled actors is so convincing that listeners are transported to the chaotic…

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This Day In History- 29 Oct

This Day In History- Sir Walter Raleigh, the English adventurer and celebrated writer renowned for his favor with Queen Elizabeth I, met a grisly end- beheading.

The execution of Sir Walter Raleigh, from The Popular History of England: An Illustrated History of Society and Government from the Earliest Period to Our Own Times, by Charles Knight, c. 1860, via the History Press 29 Oct 1904—This day in history—Sir Walter Raleigh, a daring and ambitious English adventurer and writer who had once been a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, tragically met his end in…

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This Day In History- 28 Oct

This Day In History-On October 28, 1965, a monumental event took place in St. Louis, Missouri—the completion of the Gateway Arch.

Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESSIronworkers work on top of the Gateway Arch as the keystone section is inched into place by a giant crane in St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 28, 1965. One worker stands atop the final ten-ton section as it is settled. 28 Oct 1904—This day in history—A momentous event took place in history—the completion of the Gateway Arch. This architectural masterpiece stands tall at a staggering…

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This Day In History- 27 Oct

This Day In History- October 27, 1904, NYC Mayor G. McClellan took control of the inaugural trip on the city's newest transportation system: the subway.

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. “City Hall Subway Station, New York” The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1906. 27 Oct 1904—This day in history—All eyes were on New York City as Mayor George McClellan took the reins of the city’s revolutionary new transportation system: the subway. Although…

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This Day In History- 26 Oct

Boot Hill Cemetery in Tombstone. The tombstones of Frank McLaury, Tom McLaury are shown- Arizona Memory Project 26 Oct 1881—This day in history—The crisp fall air hung heavy with tension in the dusty streets of Tombstone, Arizona. The Earp brothers stood tall and determined, their guns ready, facing off against the notorious Clanton-McLaury gang. The sun cast an eerie orange glow over the scene…