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    • Beachcombed 14 August 1, 2011

    Author: Beach Combing | in : Beachcombed , trackback

     

    1 August 2011

    Friends and Bizarrists,

    First, a change in the website, one of several that will be taking place in the coming months. There is now a bizarre history news list on the lower right margin. This needs to be worked out better – in terms of position and mechanism – but Beach’s beloved webmaster, Raoul is busy at present. Do, please, send all bizarre history stories in. Beachcombing does most of his reading in books and misses so much.

    The most popular post this month in terms of hits and emails was strange speeches, followed by Celts in Kazakhstan. Beachcombing’s personal favourite was perhaps Toma the forgotten prisoner or the Escape from Calais. The most embarrassing mistake of the month was, without any doubt, misascribing a viral internet video to Berlusconi that actually belonged to a comic doppelganger – apologies Silvio. There was also a French translation error that Beach will pass over in silence. Beachcombing’s greatest relief came when Professor Clottes defended the traditional image of the Sorcerer: now Beach will certainly sleep more easily.

    Beachcombing’s offworld but online gem of July was a youtube video celebrating the Polish Cavalry in the September War as Stalin and Hitler simultaneously invaded the country. It’s not history but he also got a kick out of this email between a mother-in-law to be and her son’s beloved – oh to be in England now in wedding season: ‘It is high time someone explained to you about good manners. Yours are obvious by their absence and I feel sorry for you.’ There is too this very worthwhile history-of-the-future site that Beachcombing hopes to find some time to read properly. Then, finally, Beach has the very great pleasure to point readers in the direction of the Weird Weekend in Devon (UK), 19-21 August. Just to give you a taster the first talk will be ‘David Hume, Joanna Lumley and the Abominable Snowman’ (sic!).

    Beachcombing continues in his attempts to fill gaps in the English language. He is still looking for a word for the frustration caused by not finding a short, half-remembered reference in a large book: those definitions sent in were spirited but not quite right.

    Now to the comments. All twelve thousand words of them… Follow the link to the relevant pieces.

    Beachcombing Beachcombs:

    Dragons in Switzerland:

    Escape from Calais:

    Anglo-Saxons in India:

    Floating Yogis:

    The Forgotten Prisoner:

    Lost in Shangri-la:

    Cat Burial in Iceland:

    Yetholm Romani:

    Fidel Castro is a Jesuit Spy:

    Headhunting:

    Celtic Tribe in Asia:

    Self Castration:

    Ravens at the Tower:

    Mannerheim’s Cigar:

    Roman Mosaic in Bra Shop:

    Nanjing Belt:

    Atlantic Frogs:

    Female Warriors:

    A Frightening Roman Cat:

    Last Words, Last Lies:

    Flying in Tibet:

    Strange Instruments:

    Surviving Hanging:

    Cyclops Origins:

    Viking Grave:

    Tibetans in the Wehrmacht:

    Cave Art Cobblers:

    Last Cavalry Charge:

    Missing Holmes:

    Worthing Oak:

    Flogging:

    Fury and Cannibalism:

    RIP William Corliss:

    Against all Odds:

    Mermaid Sighting in Caithness:

    A good August to you all!

    Beach