Saturday, July 31, 2021

Total Wine & More: 6 wines available from Lombardia - 4 of them from the famous Franciacorta wine region in Brescia!

L'Albereta Hotel at the L'Albereta Winery, Erbusco, Brescia (Franciacorta wine region)

Ancient Viticulture

The vineyards of Franciacorta were planted in ancient times, as witnessed by the grape seeds from prehistoric times and the archaeological material found throughout the territory. There are also other testimonies of classical authors such as Plinio and Columella a Virgilio. Through historiographical evidences it is possible to trace the passage of different peoples: the Cenomani Gauls, the Romans and the Lombards. The most abundant material is the Roman one and consists mainly of commemorative funeral inscriptions and military stones. Also some places' names and localities' names, such as Cazzago and Gussago, come from Roman courtesy.

The most valuable archaeological resource is the temple architrave (from Erbusco) that was brought to Brescia and then walled in the facade of the palace of Monte di Pietà della Loggia.

TotalWine.com

4 Franciacorta wines

Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut Cuvee Imperiale
750ml
Lombardy, Italy - Clean-cut and full-bodied with appealing, emphatic fruity notes and fine acidity. Rich, lingering, and complex. An ideal aperitif as well as with starters, and dishes based on fish, rice, pasta, white meats, full-flavored fish and fresh cheeses.
BRAND: Berlucchi
COUNTRY / STATE: Italy
REGION: Lombardy
WINE TYPE: Champagne & Sparkling Wine
VARIETAL: Sparkling Wine
STYLE: Elegant
TASTE: Apple, Pear, Spice
BODY: Medium-bodied
SKU: 82158750-1

Roscato Rosso Dolce
750ml
Lombardy, Italy- An irresistible, delicately sweet, gently fizzy red wine from the northern Italian region of Lombardy. Makes a wonderful aperitif and is also incredibly food-friendly.
BRAND: Roscato
COUNTRY / STATE: Italy
WINE TYPE: Champagne & Sparkling Wine
VARIETAL: Sparkling Red Wine
STYLE: Sweet
SKU: 120178750-1

Roscato Rosso Dolce
2-250ml can pack
Lombardy, Italy- An irresistible, delicately sweet, gently fizzy red wine from the northern Italian region of Lombardy. Makes a wonderful aperitif and is also incredibly food-friendly.
BRAND: Roscato
COUNTRY / STATE: Italy
WINE TYPE: Red Wine
VARIETAL: Red Blend
STYLE: Sweet
SKU: 120178266-2

Franciacorta Brut Rose
750ml
BRAND: Franciacorta
COUNTRY / STATE: Italy
WINE TYPE: Champagne & Sparkling Wine
VARIETAL: Sparkling Wine
SKU: 195500750-1

Franciacorta vineyard in Erbusco

Modern Viticulture

Despite boasting a long history, the new course of viticulture of Franciacorta began in all respects at the beginning of the Sixties with the birth of the first wineries. At the end of the Seventies, Italian enology experienced a period of great ferment and in Franciacorta several entrepreneurs invested and focused on the cultivation of vineyards. In fact, even today many wineries that produce Franciacorta have been founded by entrepreneurs from Brescia and province. Afterwards the growth has been very fast until today's Franciacorta fame, a national reference for the wine's production with the classic method.

The production and marketing of bubbles has become increasingly important in the last twenty years, so as to boast the DOCG brand and be known in the wine world for the high quality achieved. The name "Franciacorta" has over time become synonymous with the same DOCG sparkling wine produced in the many vineyards of the area.

Since July 2008, with the publication of the new specification, the name of the DOC "Terre di Franciacorta", used for red and white still wines, has been replaced with Curtefranca.

Today the area is just over two thousand hectares, its increase, which was considerable in the first decade of the 2000s, has now slowed sharply partly because of the global crisis. In fact, no further major growth developments are expected in the coming years. The slowdown is also due to some choices of the consortium Franciacorta aimed at not creating an excess of supply in order to safeguard the producers currently present on the territory.

In 1995 Franciacorta was assigned the first refermented in Italian bottle with the denomination DOCG. This is obtained from Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Blanc grapes and is produced in three types: Franciacorta, Franciacorta Satèn and Franciacorta Rosé. In addition to these, Millesimato and Riserva, which require longer aging, are also produced. Franciacorta has also two other DOC denominations: a white wine and a red wine.

The wine cellars are over one hundred and some are located in buildings of artistic and architectural interest. They are open to the public, so the visitor can learn about the methods of wine production, participate in tastings and buy the product.

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Franciacorta DOCG

Franciacorta is a sparkling wine from the Province of Brescia (Lombardy) with DOCG status. It is produced using the traditional method from grapes grown within the boundaries of the territory of Franciacorta, on the hills located between the southern shore of Lake Iseo and the city of Brescia. It was awarded DOC status in 1967, the designation then also including red and white still wines. Since 1995 the DOCG classification has applied exclusively to the sparkling wines of the area.

History

The still wines from this area have ancient traditions, referred to by Virgil and Pliny the Elder, and documented in Brescia City council books as "Franzacurta" as far back as in 1277. The name may derive from the tax-exempt (francae) status of the region's towns (curtes) in the Middle Ages. The wines were not called Franciacorta until 1957, when Guido Berlucchi released a white wine named Pinot di Franciacorta. An ambitious young winemaker working for Berlucchi, Franco Ziliani, was permitted to pursue an ambition of producing a fine sparkling wine, and in 1961 was allowed to produce for release 3,000 bottles of a sparkling wine, also sold under the name Pinot di Franciacorta.

Instant interest allowed the following vintage production to be set at 20,000 bottles, and eventually the annual production was 100,000 bottles. The national prominence that followed was soon exploited by several entrepreneurs from Milan and Brescia, and by the time the region was granted DOC status in 1967 there were 11 producers of sparkling Franciacorta, although Berlucchi represented more than 80% of the production.

With its directives, Franciacorta became the first DOC to specify that its sparkling wines must be made by metodo classico. In 1990, the Consorzio per la tutela del Franciacorta was formed, instigating codes of self-regulation with a gradual reduction of yields and elimination of the use of Pinot grigio, becoming the body considered responsible for the efficient elevation of sparkling Franciacorta to DOCG status in 1995. Since August 1, 2003, Franciacorta has been the only Italian wine not obliged to declare its DOCG appellation on the label, in the same manner that a Champagne is permitted to exclude from labels its AOC.

From 1996 to 2006, sales of Franciacorta grew from 2.9 million to 6.7 million bottles. According to Tom Stevenson, the Franciacorta region is "the only compact wine area producing world class sparkling wine in Italy."

2 other wines from Lombardy

Roscato Moscato (Mantua)
750ml
Lugana, Italy - Roscato Moscato is an irresistible, delicately sweet, frizzante wine from Northern Italy. With a touch of sparkle to flawlessly balance the sweetness, Roscato Moscato is the ideal complement for today's cuisine. Enjoy it with delicate cheeses, fresh fruit or spicy food.
BRAND: Roscato
COUNTRY / STATE: Italy
REGION: Lombardy
APPELLATION: Lugana
WINE TYPE: Champagne & Sparkling Wine
VARIETAL: Muscat/Moscato
SKU: 225728750-1

InVino Pinot Noir (Pavia)
750ml
Italy - InVino Pinot Noir is an elegant and light bodied red wine. Flavors and aromas include black cherry, black fruit, currant, wild cherries and dark berry. InVino Pinot Noir pairs well with salmon, roasted chicken or pasta dishes. Enjoy with a group of friends or by yourself!
BRAND: InVino
COUNTRY / STATE: Italy
REGION: Lombardy
WINE TYPE: Red Wine
VARIETAL: Pinot Noir
STYLE: Elegant
ABV: 12%
TASTE: Black Cherry, Currant, Fruity
SKU: 219439750-1

1 famous "honorary Lombard" wine from Novara, Piemonte

[an area which has historically & linguistically been a part of Lombardia; although the winery is located in Novara, it is long associated with Milan]

Campari
50ml
Italy- The shockingly red liqueur is infused with 68 different bitter herbs and aromatic plants, a secret recipe of natural ingredients that dates back to 1860 and has become an Italian tradition.
BRAND: Campari
COUNTRY: Italy
SPIRITS TYPE: Dessert & Fortified Wine
SPIRITS STYLE: Aperitif
SKU: 226725050-1

Vineyards in Valtellina

In Valtellina, wines are produced mainly from Chiavennasca (the local name of Nebbiolo grape variety) with other minor varieties such as Rossola nera permitted up to 20% for the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and 10% for the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). Grapes are limited to a harvest yield of 12 tonnes/ha. The finished wine must be aged for at least 2 years prior to release (3 years if a Riserva bottling) with a minimum alcohol level of at least 11%. Yields for the DOCG wines are further restricted to a maximum of 8 tonnes/ha. While the aging requirements are the same as the DOC, the minimum alcohol level for the DOCG wine is 12%.

The best-known villages for red wines are: Grumello, Sassella, Inferno, Valgella, and Maroggia. The village names are normally indicated on the label. Additionally there is an Amarone style DOCG wine called Sforzato (Sfursat).

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Valtellinese wines, such as Il Pettirosso Valtellina Superiore 2016, are easy to purchase online. Total Wine & More stores are all over the country, so I thought that was more noteworthy that you could just walk in and purchase a Franciacorta if one was nearby. I found one Valtellina winery--Bagera Vini di Valtellina--which as a U.S. website: www.ViniBagera.us and facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BalgeraViniDiValtellina/

Final thoughts

Of course there are some wineries right here locally which are still in the hands of the same old Swiss Italian/Ticinese families, such as the Nichelini Winery in St. Helena, California founded in 1890. They now have a Wikipedia page as well: Nichelini Family Winery. If you're never visited there, make sure that you do! That incredible home that sits above a stone mason cellar was constructed by Anton Nichelini 130 years ago, and it's beautiful as well as the property that sits along the edge of the wooded valley.

Another interesting winery is Raffaldini Vineyards in Ronda, North Carolina. Founded by Jay Raffaldini whose family roots are in Mantua (Mantova). According to the website: "In 2009 Raffaldini Vineyards was voted one of the top ten new vineyards in all of North America, the first time any such vineyard from the Mid Atlantic received that award." The winery hosts a Festa Italiana every fall season. Of course, these wines can be ordered online.

The beautiful Nichelini house in St. Helena

Friday, July 30, 2021

Festival of Diana 2021: Rising from the Shadows

Festival of Diana - August 13-15

Also known as Nemoralia, Festival of Torches, and Hecatean Ides. In Stregheria it is known as the Festival of Diana. The Old Religion predates the Etruscans and Romans. Nemoralia no doubt comes from the fabled Lake Nemi. From very ancient times, Lake Nemi was known as Diana's Mirror, or Speculum Dianae to the Romans. The Goddess Diana (Diana Nemorensis: Diana of Nemi or Diana of the Wood) is deeply associated with the lake and surrounding woods. Near the temple of Diana was the sacred grove of Aricia.

A Rex Nemorensis was the name of the head of a Dianic preisthood at the temple. However this was during Roman times, and not of the time of the original Dianic tradition(s). The Temple of Diana at Lake Nemi was constructed near the north shore by the ancient Romans about 300 BCE, and was called the 'Temple of Diana Nemorensis'. Ancient Rome, just like the United States today, fostered various cults to occupy the minds of the common people. However, there is something far more spiritually essential about the pre-Roman and pre-Etruscan folkways. The ways of the mysterious Euganei; a Proto-European people of the Italian peninsula. Probably even more mysterious than the Etruscans.

Roman ruins of the Temple of Diana at Lake Nemi

1st century BCE Roman poet Ovid described the celebration:

"In the Arrician valley,
there is a lake surrounded by shady forests,
Held sacred by a religion from the olden times...
On a long fence hang many pieces of woven thread,
and many tablets are placed there
as grateful gifts to the Goddess.
Often does a woman whose prayers Diana answered,
With a wreath of flowers crowning her head,
Walk from Rome carrying a burning torch...
There a stream flows down gurgling from its rocky bed..."

A more modern statue of Diana overseeing Lake Nemi

1st century CE Roman poet Propertius observed the festival, apparently from a distance, and wrote to his beloved:

"Ah, if you would only walk here in your leisure hours.
But we cannot meet today,
When I see you hurrying in excitement with a burning torch
To the grove of Nemi where you
Bear light in honour of the Goddess Diana."

Lake Nemi in Latium

Diana (mythology)

Temple of Diana (Nemi)

Nemoralia

Diana Nemorensis

Lake Nemi

Rex Nemorensis

From Nemoralia (Wikipedia) in regards to the Roman Festival of Diana:

On this day, worshipers formed a procession of torches and candles around the waters of Lake Nemi (the name Nemi, from the Latin nemus, means a sacred wood or sacred grove), also known as Diana's Mirror. Hundreds join together at the lake, wearing wreaths of flowers. According to Plutarch, part of the ritual (before the procession around the lake) was the washing of hair and dressing it with flowers.

It is a day of rest for women and slaves. Hounds are also honored and dressed with blossoms. Travelers between the north and south banks of the lake were carried in small boats lit by lanterns. Similar lamps were used by Vestal virgins and have been found with images of the goddess at Nemi.

Requests and offerings to Diana may include small baked clay or bread statuettes of body parts in need of healing; small clay images of mother and child; tiny sculptures of stags; dance and song; and fruit such as apples. In addition, offerings of garlic are made to the Goddess of the Dark Moon, Hecate, during the festival[citation needed]. Hunting or killing of any beast is forbidden on Nemoralia.

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The pre-Etruscan/Roman Dianic cult

I suppose that it could be an area of debate within practitioners of Stregheria as to how much latter influence should be adhered to. In truth, we really don't know a lot about the Euganei or their ancient spiritual traditions. What we do know is that during the last glacial movement, ending about 9,000 years ago, about two-thirds of Europe was covered by a mile high sheet of ice. A clearly related Proto-European lunar Goddess tradition essentially stretched from Wales to Portugal to Greece and to Bavaria. The name of the Goddess was different from region to region (Diana, Hecate, Mona, etc), and other names of the finite aspects of this tradition were different, but overall it was all closely related. Remember this was basically "a little Europe" at the time. A very similar primal people existed throughout at that time, prior to the latter incoming movements of Teutons or Mediterraneans.

The Etruscans had a mysterious culture, and brought with them their own pantheon of gods and spiritual folkways which merged with the natives. Then the Romans took over and started anew; erasing much of what had been Etruscan culture, architecture, spirituality, history, etc. They had their own, often conflated, pantheon of gods and spiritual folkways. I think it was all more planned and calculated by the Romans, while the Etruscan culture likely merged with the local native folkways in a much more organic manner. So for a modern Stregheria movement... which aspects of all this do we adhere to? While in ancient Greece, the Olympian gods seem to have been separate from the more ancient Hecate cult; in ancient Italy the whole thing was more convoluted.

While it would be exciting to explore the pantheon of Etruscan gods, there does become a confusion... especially since the latter manifestations of the Old Religion which have existed in the periphery over the centuries have their own local folkways. To a large extent, what we might call Stregheria today is a confusion of time periods and regional influences as they survived in spiritual exile from the mainstream society. In the Gaulish north, not surprisingly there is Gaulish and ancient German influences, even Slavic influences. The Goddess was called Mona, the same as in Gaul proper and other ancient northern European locales. The story of the 'Witches of Benevento' is a good example of one of the many migrating peoples on the peninsula whom had an influence on the pre-existing pagan traditions... in this case, the south-migrating Langobards.

Over the centuries there were numerous, more often small, migrations of other peoples into the peninsula. Other Europeans, and even non-Europeans in the south, either invaded to migrated and had some affect on the culture and traditions. Overall, these spiritual influences--if there were any--were probably small. One thing which is not helpful, for example, is when Raven Grimassi was attacked by some for a perception that he was speaking for all who practice Stregheria. Also, some even deny Stregheria itself, insisting that it should all be about Benecaria or something else. I think that we should approach this in the following manner:

1) Acknowledge that, although there was much in common throughout the various provinces and villages of Italy, there's enough difference that there will never be full agreement on any finite codex.

2) Create levels of commonality. A chronological system where we can agree on some things, and also allow for a lot of spiritual diversity.... both individually and by small groups.

3) Proto-European witchcraft: Always acknowledge the "very ancients" from the last ice age. These were they're ways, and we're their descendants.

4) Euganei: It is essential to acknowledge that this was the primal population of Italy at one point, and they are all of our ancestors. This is the link that ties us all together, and the most important step! If we can't at least do this, then we're truly just wasting our time as far as a greater revival. We must keep this area of study and practice, pure; at least academically, and in a unifying manner. Creating a nucleus of folk-spiritual sameness of which we can all agree one.

5) Acknowledge the main contributors to latter traditions: Etruscans, Gauls, and Romans.

6) Acknowledge influences from the Middle Ages.

7) Acknowledge post-Medieval influences.

8) Allow those who are not interested in the very ancient folkways--the Euganei--to go their own way. This isn't to say that, for example, cryptic-traditions within the Church are not a big part of our history. They certainly are, but the essential basis of Stregheria must be of these ancient ancestors. I would also think the folklore of Aradia as well. If someone can't handle that, then we go our separate spiritual ways. Also, of course, there are other influences: Masonic, Hemetic, Eastern, Astrology, etc. However, at the primal heart must always be the ancient folkways! Beyond that, there can be all sorts of individually-inspired, small group, or regional flavors. Italian-Americans in New England might adopt something from earlier English pagans, or Italian-Argentines might adopt something from Basque pagans. The common American "welcome star" comes directly from Dutch/German pagan tradition. Italian-Americans in Pennsylvania might adopt that symbol to an extent. Personally, I place a little hand-made wooden red solar cross up along the trails where I usually walk, conduct ritual, alone or with others. When the early Christians were eliminating Odinic tradition from German-speaking areas, Hungary and elsewhere, the pagans would replace their old altars in the woods with a red cross to mask their holy altars in hopes that they could return to them at a later point. Of course, it never happened. So I use that same concept, using a red solar cross instead; in this case as a type of altar in of itself. There seems to be another pagan coven of some type whom places little hand-weaved hearts in the area; and I also see rocks stacked or little stone labyrinths. Meaningful things like this are fine on the surface, and don't replace the primal Stregheria which we would need to agree upon.

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Having passed away in 2019, Raven Grimassi left us too soon. I strongly feel, despite the trail that he blazed, that there was still work to be done. I suppose that we would all feel that way when someone important to us passes... if there only was more time. We still must finally iron out a foundation as far as creating an "Aradianist Folk Revival." Basically agree on the essentials, and agree-to-disagree on the less important things.

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Summer Solstice 2021 - Part 3

Santa Cruz Mountain chain along the coast of north-central California

Why do massive mountains and relatively small mountains usually look so similar in elevation?

This is one of those questions which one occasionally ponders over, but is afraid to ask! Often mountains which are over 4,000 feet in elevation appear--when gazing at their peaks--quite similar to smaller mountains of about 1,500 feet in elevation. The larger part of the answer is very simple. A person can forget that when looking at many huge mountains, they are already viewing them from a high elevation; whereas when viewing the small mountain peaks from sea level, they both may appear at about the same elevation in our perception.

The skyline of Denver, with stunning Rocky Mountain peaks in the background

A mile is 5,280 feet, therefore Denver, Colorado was built upon a mile high plateau. Lake Tahoe is at 6,234 feet elevation. The level of elevation in which a person views something will affect how something in the distance will appear. I live at about 500 feet elevation, and it does appear like a big drop when looking outward and down at sea level. The skyline of San Francisco appears small, although it's highest buildings are at higher elevation. The buildings themselves appear small at this distance and from this elevation. However, when looking at the skyline from about 1,000 feet (up on the trail beyond where I live), the buildings appear at least twice as large! The nearby peak of San Bruno Mountain is 1,319 feet elevation, taller than the tallest building in San Francisco (the Salesforce Tower is 1,070 feet).

Mt. Kilimanjaro in tropical central Africa

Mt. Kilimanjaro's peak is 19,341 feet elevation. That is nearly four miles high! However, from the above picture, it merely appears "big," and with a simple ice-domed landscape. This is also a false perception. The surrounding landscape must be at a high elevation as well. Although the mountain appears simple in it's landscape from that angle, when a person is walking upon it, 90% of the time they can't even see the surrounding countryside. They're so immersed in it's environment of ice and snow along the rolling hills of it's high plateau, that if a person were blindfolded and flown to the area and dropped off on top, they might think they're in Alaska. It's so massive that there's no possible way to correctly perceive it's dimensions and size by the above view from that distance. Even with small mountains, there could be small groves to trees all about them, but this would not be visible from a distance. It might only look like grass and shrub. Within those groves of trees, one could get the feeling that they're in a flatland forest for certain stretches.

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QUOTE

“Your actions and your thoughts are dictating your future.”

-- Wes Watson

Wes Watson is an ex-con who has become something of a self-help guru for tough guys on YouTube. He uses more four letter words than Tony Montana. He even used one at the end of the above quote which I took off. This great concept is nothing new. I first heard it from Tony Robbins years ago, and many others have their own version of it. There's a such thing as quote-overload, but this one can be almost priceless.

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QUOTE

"What we give to the poor is what we take with us when we die"

-- William Peter Blatty

Actually that quote was from the text of the novel 'The Exorcist'. I believe that it was based on a quote by Peter Maurin (1877-1949), who apparently was some type of French Cathloic socialist activist: "What we give to the poor for Christ's sake, is what we carry with us when we die." I don't believe it's all just so simple. I think there is a type of karmic merit and demerit. I once gave $25 to a donation for a little girl in NYC who had some type of muscle disease where she needed braces to walk, and was traveling to Poland for treatment. The electrical treatment was not yet licensed in the U.S. I donated this at a time when I would have had a good case in saying that I couldn't afford it. I suppose I received a karmic token for that.

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Down 'n Dirty (2000) | Full Movie | Fred Williamson | Bubba Smith | Gary Busey

39,616 views - July 16, 2021

Films 4 You

Dakota Smith is an experienced policeman with a problem: his partner was shot dead, and corrupt cops are responsible. Dak's investigation leads him to widespread corruption in the department, as well as a corrupt district attorney. Smith finds an unlikely ally in timid photographer Nick Gleem. While Gleem unearths clues about the bad guys, Dak fends off attacks on his own life. While he's not in gun battles with these local villains, divorced father Dak has no shortage of lady friends to keep him happy.

Director: Fred Williamson
Writer: Aubrey K. Rattan
Starring: Fred Williamson, Bubba Smith, Gary Busey

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An 83 year old action film star?

This is one of my fave "good" bad movies! This movie is puuure Fred "The Hammer" Williamson ego! A friend once told me after watching it: "It had no plot!" He's made well over a hundred films mostly outside of Hollywood, so he's only a household name in B-film circles, martial art fim circles, or in Europe. A legend in some circles, sort've like Mel Novak. Also, the film is stocked with veteran actors "his age" that he takes on, such as Tony LoBianco and Gary Busey. If you're 63, you can't be taking on anyone under 40 or so!

Also, cops--even detectives--never operate like lone-wolves such as is depicted here. It was almost as if he was just paid to walk and drive around, hang out, be cool, ask some questions, and have some skirmishes with some of those aged strawman bad guys. He didn't even use a standard issued police handgun, but carried a fancy Israeli-made 44 magnum "Desert Eagle" revolver. He has played this "Dakota Smith" character numerous times over the years. All in pure ego driven films where he wastes the bad guys and literally drives off on a motorcycles with the pretty girl at the end.

He's 83 years old now, and will begin filming yet another Dakota Smith film either later this year or early next year. He actually has, at his age, eight acting roles in films that he's going to start filming soon! This man literally believes that he is a living legend right along with Muhammad Ali. In fact, he has said that Ali got his ideas from him and his antics as football player. He went on one of those paranormal programs last year and told an account of when he was in Rome, that he had powerful flashback visions while walking by the Colosseum of him in a previous life as a gladiator. When it comes to ego films, I think he's got Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, and Sylvester Stallone beat. One thing that is true is that he was probably the first really famous "hard-hitting safety" in pro football.

ATOMIC EDEN (2021) David vs. Goliath Clip | Fred “The Hammer” Williamson Action Thriller Movie

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44 Magnum Desert Eagle

Apparently this 44 magnum is so powerful that it can kill a 600 pound grizzly bear; presumably with a direct shot in a vital area. The above is a standard Desert Eagle, but there are different models; some rather fancy. The cost of a .50 caliber magnum is anywhere from $1,500 to $2,200, depending on the model.

The custom made one to the right with the light blue hexwave grip really caught my eye. Looking at this revolver, I wonder how and why so many home robbers even take the chance? If they broke in and say the owner had this in her hand, it's... over! It's too bad that Ted Bundy, Samuel Little, Gary Ridgway, Rodney Alcala, or Richard Ramirez didn't meet up with a 44 Magnum Desert Eagle.

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Magic and Demons | John MacArthur | 1973

Timesless_teachings

John MacArthur of Grace Community church in Sun Valley California in 1973. Grace to You!

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More from John MacArthur's soapbox

In the above audio from 1973, the Pastor John MacArthur really outdoes himself; everything is "The Devil." Below are a few other examples of the not-so-tolerant long-time Evangelical preacher from southern California.

Bewitched by False Doctrine

How to Pray in a Pagan World

The Damning Power of False Religion (John 5:1–16)

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The Virgin Mary as the Goddess Diana

Aside from his denunciation, this is one area where basically Pastor MacArthur is factually correct.

Pastor John MacArthur: Exposing The Idolatry of Mary Worship p1o4

Pastor John MacArthur: Exposing The Idolatry of Mary Worship p2o4

Pastor John MacArthur: Exposing The Idolatry of Mary Worship p3o4

Pastor John MacArthur: Exposing The Idolatry of Mary Worship p4o4

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The Pastor finally spilling the beans

Pastor MacArthur somewhat sarcastically criticizing the "progressive" Christian Charismatic Movement, while divulging what his believes is the answer for the world. In other words, if you just omit the words "Charismatic Movement," he is just simply confessing his dream for the world.

"If the Charismatic Movement was being produced by the Holy Spirit, the glory of Christ would prevail everywhere. It would be Christ dominated, and everyone in the movement would be bowing the knee to the true Christ in belief of the true Gospel. The people would be humble. They would be joyful. They would be sacrificial. They would be confessional. They would be declaring Jesus as Lord, and themselves his slaves."
-- Pastor John MacArthur, 'Testing the Spirits', 2013

Source: Testing the Spirits (John MacArthur) (Selected Scriptures)

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Spiritual folk ways

We don't see ourselves as slaves to a cosmic dictator. Our deities are seen as a part of our family clan. Maybe a little bit like a parental figure in some cases.

The very worst type of religious dynamic is one where its fanatical followers live vicariously through their monotheistic god, and simply will not tolerate anyone who ignores them. Their collective-narcissistic ego is flexed through their god.

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Olivia Newton-John - A Little More Love (1978)

1,352,775 views

retroj25

Promo video for Olivia's classic track from the 1978 album "Totally Hot".

This was one of three promo videos made for this song ... it is the rarest and I think the best !

Friday, July 16, 2021

Summer Solstice 2021 - Part 2 - Midsummer

'100 Years Ago in Photos: A Look Back at 1920'

Original caption, from May 29, 1920: "Bare legs and scanty one piece bathing suits were very much in evidence at the opening of Washington's municipal bathing beach today. Officials have agreed to disregard as precedents the prohibitory orders issued at Coney Island and Atlantic City."

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Quotes

"everybody likes you when you're fake,
Nobody likes you when you're real". Bob Marley
-- Capital H healing : Noel

"Don't let other people's opinions distort your reality.

Be true to yourself.

Be bold in pursuing your dreams.

Be unapologetically you!"

-- Dr. Steve Maraboli

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Occult Hollywood Unveiled / Open Lines

Date Friday - July 16 2021 Host Richard Syrett
Guests Robert W. Sullivan IV, Open Lines

Author and film researcher Robert Sullivan joins Richard Syrett (Twitter) to reveal Tinseltown's esoteric and dark secrets found in films like The Mummy (1932), The Witch (2015), Lolita (1962), Joker (2019), Dark City (1998), The Red Shoes (1948), Midsommar (2019), Eraserhead (1977), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Suspiria (2018) Chris Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012), The Shape of Water (2017), and the vast mythology of Twin Peaks (1990-2017). From Gnosticism to Freemasonry, to black magic and Kabbalah, be prepared to have the veil lifted from your eyes. Followed by Open Lines.

Website(s):

robertwsullivaniv.com

Book(s):

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I had wanted to post this days ago. However, it airs tonight. Even if you miss it, it's something to look into; Robert Sullivan's site, books, and just searching YouTube or other sites on the subject. My opinion is that it's very real. As I've written here before, according to legend, a magick wand is made from the wood of a holly tree... or "holly wood." Hollywood ranges from divulging very occultic knowledge of human history all the way to the most base infantile actions, such as actually putting highly sexualized imagery and messages into Disney films for children. In one of them, nude photographs were spliced in for only one frame so only the subconscious mind could see and process them. All-in-all, the Hollywood establishment has secret knowledge of, for example, the history of our solar system.. which I think is very different than the average person can even imagine. Even if I'm not a fan of the political actions of Freemasons or Kabbalists behind the scenes in virtually every choke point in our society, I still seek the knowledge that one can usually only get by joining with them and rising to their highest degrees. Even then it's no guarantee that they will divulge any of it. Apparently there's a spiritual code that they must live by in which they must inform "those who wish to know."

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7-19-21 ADDITION: The Friday Coast program with Robert Sullivan can be found at the following link....

'Occult Hollywood Unveiled' (Coast to Coast AM; 7-16-21; Robert Sullivan)

I was actually trying to call in, as they were discussing Stanley Kubrick a lot. Kubrick's final film was 'Eyes Wide Shut', which he was not able to edit; however considering the film's theme, he died exactly 666 days before January 1, 2001. '2001: A Space Odyssey' was perhaps his biggest film. All of his films were ripe with deep symbolism. Also, I wanted to bring up the 911-symbolism on the cover of Supertramp's 'Breakfast in America' album in 1979; a mind-numbing coincidence if it was a coincidence.

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Pondering 50 years: Early 70s music, films, etc.

It's hard to believe that music or films from the early 70s are already a half century old! 'Patton' (1970) is now over the half-century mark. 'The French Connection' (1971) is now fifty. 'Just An Old Fashioned Love Song' (1970) by Three Dog Night, over fifty. Unlike humans, who are children for their first twenty years, music and film define a certain time period in our own minds... so a full half century is very significant; 5% of the total amount of time "since the birth of Jesus" so to speak.

Much to the dismay of many 60s idealists, everything from the 60s is over fifty years ago. 'Suspicious Minds' (1969) by Elvis is well over fifty. '2001: A Space Odyssey' and the original 'Planet of the Apes are both well over fifty; and of course, the Moon landing was over fifty years ago. While the music and films will live on, the time period tends to slip away. On the other hand, films can bring back time periods! For me, looking at this personally, the death of my mother was absolutely the end of an era!

A wise man once said to me that technology (or political technocracy) can ruin us. He argued that once we had automobiles, radio, TV, telephones, and airplanes... that this was all we needed while still maintaining being somewhat down-to-earth. I think that's more-or-less true. If everything from just prior to the advent of the internet and cell phones had not occurred, someone who grew up with them wouldn't even know the difference. All I can say is that before my mother got the MRSA staff infection, after which she began a slow decline, she could really get around. We could go into Home Depot and she would just walk the isles fluidly like a much younger person. She had no qualms about speaking to young people, a trait that many her age shy away from a bit. I think that's a good clue on how to live life. Just try to make the most of every day.

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'Scotland: Hunting the Green Men of Rosslyn Chapel'

A Bad Witches Blog - August 9, 2018

I've long been fascinated by the image of the Green Man - a head surrounded by leaves and often with foliage emerging from the mouth. He seems like a spirit of nature or a Pagan god of all things growing, yet he appears most often in Medieval churches.

There are more than 100 Green Men in Rosslyn Chapel, which I visited while on holiday in Scotland last week.

The Green Man's origins are a puzzle. You can find the face of the Green Man in many churches in the UK, including Salisbury Cathedral as well as Rosslyn Chapel.

Why were Christians so keen on a symbol that doesn't seem to have much to do with Christianity? Sure, Medieval churches also have plenty of carvings of ordinary people going about their daily lives. They also have gargoyles and grotesques of demonic creatures. But the Green Man is neither of these.

con't....

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Rosslyn Chapel (Wikipedia)

Green Man (Wikipedia)

The Green Man of Rosslyn Chapel

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Rosslyn Chapel - Secrets of the Templars

110,547 views - October 1, 2016

Philip Dean

The legend of Rosslyn Chapel, located about seven miles from the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, helped to inspire a best selling novel and a block buster movie called The Da Vinci Code. The publicity led to a rebirth of sorts and helped pay for a major restoration that's brought the chapel back to what it looked like when it was built in the mid 1400's. Could it be the final resting place of the Holy Grail? What was the connection to the Knights Templar?

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Jacques de Molay

Again, weren't the Knights Templar Christian? Why the interest then in the pagan Green man? Just for decor? To acknowledge regional folklore? Also, why are there griffins and gargoyles on the front and tops of Cathedrals such as Notre Dame? Aren't they sort've devilish-looking? This was a Medieval culture which had no tolerance for anything pagan or any idols, and burned heretics at the stake. Seems so strange if you think about it.

What history has known as the Scottish Sinclair family was actually the powerful Saint-Clair Templar family from France who escaped to Scotland during the persecution of the Knights Templar by King Philip of France and the Catholic Church. The head of the Templars, Jacques de Molay was burned at the stake, and apparently as he was burning he cursed them with revenge, and that may have been the origin of the rift between the Catholic Church and the Knights Templars (later known as the Freemasons).

Back then, as it is now, the Church's business was banking. After the Templars returned from the near east, legend has it that they uncovered ancient knowledge which helped them set up their own banking empire. First they got into shipping, and became incredibly wealthy almost overnight. The King was up to his eyeballs in debt to them, and the Church wanted to get rid of their main banking rival. They got to them before they became too powerful, as they were expanding to other countries. Scottish Rite Freemasonry is the direct heir to the Knights Templars.

De Moley was burned on a "Friday the 13," which is why this day is considered bad luck to many. Since the number 13 was a sacred number to the Templars, I think that King Philip and the Catholic Church had a definite point to make. Basically it was a gangland thing between two powerful factions. Even though the confessions were forced due to torture, and of course what could be a worse way to go than being burned. Still, I know other stunningly evil things that the other side has done as well that I would rather not go into now.

Temple of the Supreme Council

33rd degree Freemasonry

Washington D.C.

Isn't it so strange that with all the strife that there is in this country, these people of staggering power have absolutely nothing to say about it?

De Molay Youth organization

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was a De Molay Youth. A Freemason once insisted to me that Clinton was not a Freemason, and since there doesn't seem to be any absolute proof that he was, there was nothing further to say. 80% of Masons do not go beyond the first three degrees.

Two men riding on the same horse

A well known Masonic symbol. All I know for certain is that George Washington himself penned letters expressing his concern about the new Illuminated Freemasonry that had taken root in Switzerland and was spreading throughout Europe.

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Just An Old Fashioned Love Song - Three Dog Night (lyrics) HD

Eric Faw

"An Old Fashioned Love Song" is a 1971 song written by Paul Williams and performed by the American pop-rock band Three Dog Night. Chuck Negron performed the lead vocal on this track. Taken as the lead single from their 1971 album, Harmony, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1971, becoming the band's seventh top-ten hit. It was Three Dog Night's first record to top the U.S. easy listening chart. It reached number two in Canada. Its lyrics suggest the straightforward and melodic nature of the tune: Just an old fashioned love song / Comin' down in three part harmony / Just an old fashioned love song / One I'm sure they wrote for you and me. (Wikipedia)

Just an old fashioned love song
Playing on the radio
And wrapped around the music is the sound
Of someone promising they'll never go

You'll swear you've heard it before
As it slowly rambles on and on
No need in bringing 'em back
'Cause they've never really gone

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'Just An Old Fashioned Love Song'

Just an old fashioned love song
One I'm sure they wrote for you and me
Just an old fashioned love song
Coming down in three part harmony

To weave our dreams upon and listen
To each evening when the lights are low
To underscore our love affair with tenderness
And feeling that we've come to know

You'll swear you've heard it before
As it slowly rambles on and on
No need in bringing 'em back
'Cause they've never really gone

Just an old fashioned love song
Coming down in three part harmony
Just an old fashioned love song
One I'm sure they wrote for you and me

To weave our dreams upon and listen to a song
Just an old song coming down
Just an old song
What I'm sure they wrote for you and me

Just an old fashioned love song
Coming down in three part harmony
Just an old fashioned love song
One I'm sure they wrote for you and me

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Music in this video
Song: An Old Fashioned Love Song (Album Version)
Artist: Three Dog Night
Writer: Paul Williams

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Full Buck Moon

The evening of Friday, July 23rd (or the early morning of Saturday July 24th)

July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month’s Moon was the Full Hay Moon.