MAYAN PALENQUE ASTRONAUT

 "The mysterious Mayan Palenque Astronaut has captured the imagination of many scholars and enthusiasts alike. Depicted on the lid of Pakal the Great's sarcophagus in Palenque, this figure has sparked discussions of extraterrestrial connections to the Mayan civilization.

Could this intricate carving truly represent an ancient astronaut navigating a spacecraft, suggesting a deeper connection to beings beyond our world?"

HEADLESS JACK

 **Name:** Jack Roderick

**Alias:** Headless Jack

**Background:**

Jack Roderick was once a renowned magician, known for his death-defying acts and unparalleled illusion skills. His career took a tragic turn during a performance when a rival sabotaged his most famous trick, "The Vanishing Head." The act went horribly wrong, resulting in a freak accident that left Jack without a physical head but miraculously alive.

**Powers and Abilities:**

- **Ethereal Vision:** Despite lacking a physical head, Jack can see and perceive his surroundings through an ethereal form of sight.

- **Telepathic Communication:** Jack can communicate telepathically, projecting his voice directly into the minds of others.

- **Phantom Manipulation:** He can create and control ghostly hands and other appendages to interact with the physical world.

- **Illusion Mastery:** His background as a magician allows him to create highly convincing illusions, both visually and auditorily, to deceive enemies and aid allies.

- **Invisibility:** Jack can become invisible at will, making it easy for him to sneak up on foes or escape danger.

**Personality:**

Headless Jack is a complex character, blending a dark sense of humor with a strong sense of justice. He is deeply haunted by the betrayal that cost him his physical form, which fuels his desire to protect others from similar fates. Despite his tragic past, he often uses his wit and charm to uplift those around him.

**Appearance:**

Jack's appearance is striking and otherworldly. He wears a Victorian-era magician's outfit complete with a long, dark coat, white gloves, and a top hat that hovers where his head should be. A mystical aura surrounds the space where his head once was, often flickering with ghostly light.

**Weaknesses:**

- **Ethereal Fragility:** While his ghostly form gives him unique abilities, it also makes him vulnerable to certain magical attacks and artifacts designed to trap or harm spirits.

- **Isolation:** Jack's condition makes it difficult for him to form close personal relationships, leading to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

- **Limited Physical Interaction:** While his phantom limbs are useful, they are not as strong or dexterous as real hands, which can be a disadvantage in physical confrontations.

**Allies and Enemies:**

- **Allies:** Jack often teams up with other supernatural heroes and those who operate in the shadows, such as night vigilantes and other magically endowed individuals.

- **Enemies:** His primary adversary is the rival magician who sabotaged his act, now a powerful dark sorcerer. Additionally, he faces threats from those who seek to exploit or destroy supernatural entities.

**Mission:**

Headless Jack is on a quest to prevent others from falling victim to the same kind of treachery that befell him. He travels the world, uncovering and thwarting dark plots, protecting the innocent, and seeking out ways to restore his physical form while dispensing his unique brand of justice.

HADRIAN'S WALL

 Hadrian’s Wall was ordered to be built by the emperor Hadrian in the 2nd Century. It was designed to keep the Picts, the name of the Scottish warriors, from crossing into northern England, which was ruled by the Romans at the time. The Picts had become a serious problem for the Romans, regularly crossing into England to start battles or raid settlements.

The wall was built from stone in AD 122 and was 73 miles long, running from Wallsend-on-Tyne in the east to Bowness on the Solway Firth in the west. In parts it is large enough for two soldiers to do sentry duty side by side. The Romans built a special road - which was called the Stanegate - so that both soldiers and supplies could easily be sent up to Hadrian’s Wall.

To bolster the defences of the wall, the Romans built a mile castle every 1,500 meters (roughly). These mile castles would house around 20 soldiers who could keep watch to ensure no forces attacked from the north. But that’s not all, larger forts would also be built at around eight kilometres apart, which would house anything between 500 and 1,000 soldiers as well as important supplies and food.

Although it was designed by skillful engineers, Hadrian’s Wall was actually built by the Roman soldiers themselves - as well as being skilled in combat these men were also well trained when it came to constructing walls, forts and roads. Indeed, the fact that the wall still remain in the north of England today, albeit only partially, is a testament to the quality of the job the Romans did in constructing it.

On three different occasions the Picts attempted to destroy the wall but each time the Romans would rebuild the section that had been attacked. Hadrian’s wall was constantly patrolled and guarded for almost 250 years, marking the northern border of the vast Roman Empire.

ALNWICK VAMPIRE

 "The Vampire of Alnwick Castle, Northumberland UK Northumberland is a place that is renowned for its rich medieval heritage.

It's array of impressive castles have withstood the test of time.

Among these historic gems, is Alnwick Castle, with a legacy spanning over 900 years.

Alnwick was the esteemed seat of the original "Kings in the North" - the legendary Percy family.

It still remains in the same family today, being inhabited by the Duke of Northumberland.

While the castle is known in a more modern context for starring in movies like Harry Potter, this medieval stronghold also harbours a more unexpected and ghostly connection.

It is whispered in local folklore that Alnwick Castle is the very birthplace of its own chilling legend - the Alnwick Vampire.....

The tale of the Alnwick Vampire has been alive since the 12th century, and plays a part in the castle’s history.

Written by medieval chronicler William de Newburgh, the legend begins with a man who served the lord of Alnwick Castle, who suspected his wife was committing adultery.

On the journey to uncover the truth, he conspired to catch her in the act, by climbing the heights of their dwelling.

Tragically, he met his end by falling from the rooftop, his neck snapping upon impact.

However, despite the man being laid to rest after a traditional Christian burial, he could not rest in peace.

His presence lingered around Alnwick, creating a sense of unease and fear among the locals.

Unexplained illness began to spread through the village.

Livestock mysteriously perished - the townsfolk couldn't help but point the finger of suspicion at the dead man.

One fateful Palm Sunday, two young men from the town armed themselves with pitchforks, and embarked on a mission to unveil the hideout of the dead man.

Upon finding the corpse, they discovered that the burial shroud had been torn to shreds, and the body of the man was bloated, engorged, and putrid.

When the corpse was pierced with a spade, fresh blood flowed from the openings.

It was a grisly spectacle that seemed to offer proof that the dead man had indeed been nourishing itself with the blood of the living.

They took the body to the outskirts of the town, where it was burned.

It was only then that the curse that had fallen on the town was lifted, bringing an abrupt end to the devastating plague and the terror of the townsfolk.

To this very day, the haunting figure is referred to as the Alnwick Vampire.

Remarkably, William de Newburgh's account of this eerie tale, is the first recorded use of the word 'bloodsucker' in England."

MERE WIVES

 "East Anglia has many myths and legends. One is on the "Mere Wife" or Mere Wives who live, not in the sea, but in the many inland waterways, ponds and "meres" of the region. They were, and perhaps still are, responsible for the disappearance of many young people, especially boys, who are tempted to get too close to the waters edge. They may have inspired Grendel's Dam, the cannibalistic ogress in the Anglo Saxon "Beowulf", thought by many to have been originally written in East Anglia.

One poem from 1837 warns of their presence:

"Make haste and do your errand. Go not nigh

The River's bank, for there the meremaids lie.

Be home at five!" James Bird (born 1788)

The historic Suffolk market town of Bungay has not only the dangers of Mere Maids to contend with in the beautiful River Waveney but also the regular appearance of a malevolent and very large black dog known as Shuck. There will be more about him in my next posting here. He is expected to appear again around the start of August attracted no doubt by the festival bearing his name."

THE BATMAN

 Last night, I watched this superhero film on Prime.

"Two years of nights have turned Bruce Wayne into a nocturnal animal. But as he continues to find his way as Gotham's dark knight Bruce is forced into a game of cat and mouse with his biggest threat so far, a manic killer known as "The Riddler" who is filled with rage and determined to expose the corrupt system whilst picking off all of Gotham's key political figures. The Batman must track down the killer and see him brought to justice, while investigating his father's true legacy and questioning the effect that he has had on Gotham so far as "The Batman.""

Oh My Days! This is so long and boring!

I wanted to like this film and I had high hopes for R-Batz doing a great job, but he just moped around when you got to see "Bruce" but as "Batman" he was a very angry young man that had no emotion.

The Riddler was not my version or the comic book version of the Riddler, he was someone out of the Saw movies.

The Penguin was just some gangster douche from your American style gangster films, not very interesting or thought out character. and yet again, he was not the Penguin that I know from previous versions including the comic book version.

The Catwoman who never ever calls herself by that name was also useless and a low level thief with no chemistry with Batman.

Of course they changed the skin colour of Jim Gordon, as they seem to do with the DC films these days.

Everything about Batman was not in this film, even Andy Serkis as Alfred was useless and could have been played by any Brit with more of an acting role than Andy did in this film.

The film was far too long at just under the 3 hour mark, they could have trimmed a lot out of this and still tried there hardest to make this a decent Bat movie.

I was bored as hell and I had trouble keeping my eyes open for this mess.

I do not recommend.

I shall rate this flick a score of 4/10.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLY!

Wishing a very happy 37th birthday to Hana Hatae, who started playing Molly O'Brien in the Star Trek: TNG episode “Rascals" when she was just 4 years old, then took the character over to Star Trek: DS9.

TRUMP SHOOTER

 That is not a man who is scared of almost being assassinated, but a man who is using this situation as a win for his campaign of being the next President of America. This was staged and what you call a false flag operation.

RUNAWAY TRAIN

 This afternoon, we watched this classic action thriller on Prime.

"Two escaped convicts and a female railway worker find themselves trapped on a speeding train with no brakes and nobody driving."

This is the first time I've seen this film and it's brilliant, very brutal and harrowing. the special effects using miniatures work perfect for this movie.

The two convicts are not very nice and they do deserve to go back to prison but it's not a prison movie, it's a story of two men who seek their freedom from the evil warden who find themselves trapped on board a speeding train that is out of control.

This was a film that I would not watch again, not because I disliked it but it's one of those films that you've seen once, you don't need to see again.

I shall rate this movie a score of 7/10.

BLACK DEVIL

 Imagine a figure so formidable, even the mighty Napoleon couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. A towering presence on the battlefield, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, known as the "Black Devil," was a man whose heroic feats have been overshadowed by history. Born to a French aristocrat father and a Haitian mother, Dumas was no ordinary 18th-century soldier. He was a Herculean figure, standing six-foot-two with unparalleled strength and tactical brilliance that left both allies and enemies in awe.

Dumas's military prowess was legendary. In one remarkable instance, he single-handedly overpowered a dozen Austrian soldiers, capturing twelve as prisoners, only to repeat the feat shortly after with sixteen more. Leading from the front, he conquered entire cities and captured thousands of enemy troops in a single day. When his horse was shot from under him in battle, Dumas used its carcass as a shield, valiantly fighting off attackers until reinforcements arrived. His daring and bravery saved villages and won battles, earning him glory throughout Paris.

During Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, Dumas's exploits were nothing short of extraordinary. He famously captured the Grand Mosque of Cairo amidst a fierce revolt, a feat that should have cemented his place in history. Yet, jealousy prompted Napoleon to have Dumas erased from the victory painting, replacing him with his own image. The Egyptians, however, had already seen their true hero in Dumas, often mistaking him for the leader due to his commanding presence.

Despite his unmatched contributions, Dumas's relationship with Napoleon soured. Dumas criticized the campaign's missteps, and after a falling out, he was captured and spent two years in prison. Upon his release, Napoleon's resentment persisted, blocking any aid to Dumas and his family. Dumas died in 1806, but his legacy lived on through his son, Alexandre Dumas, who became the famed author of "The Three Musketeers" and "The Count of Monte Cristo."

The tale of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas is one of unmatched valor, overshadowed by jealousy and political maneuvering. His story, though less known, is a testament to the enduring spirit of a true warrior.

SLAY

 This afternoon, we finished watching this horror comedy movie on Tubi.

"After a booking mistake, four Drag Queens find themselves performing for a mostly unwelcoming crowd, but when Vampires attack, the crowd looks to the Queens to save the day."

The Four Drag Queens arrive in a desert dive bar filled with undesirables, and after they start to perform their routine on stage, the bar comes under siege by a Vampire who attacks some of the bikers and turns them into the undead suckers.

The Drag Queens can't escape, so they team up with the survivors to defend themselves and to exterminate the undead soulless bloodsuckers with style and sass!

This is one of the best Vampire Comedy films I've ever seen and it's bloody awesome!

It's incredibly funny with a lot of pop culture references to other Vampire movies and books, like the Twilight films. The movie is a cross between From Dusk Till Dawn and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert films with a lot of nods to From Dusk Till Dawn.

There's even a wish version of Tom Savini from FDTD in this film.

The Vampires are all very intelligent and there are some neat twists to their mythology and abilities which makes this film a hoot, when they die, they all turn into glittery dust for example.

The Drag Queens are all very funny and very tough as they slay the undead with some style and wearing good fashionable frocks.

I loved this film, and I will watch this again and again.

I shall rate this movie a score of 9/10.

I highly recommend this film.

THE WEDDING RINGER

 Last night, I watched this buddy rom-comedy film on Netflix.

"Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a lovable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy."

This is an alright comedy film that has some OTT rude moments in it but it also has a lot of heart as well.

The chemistry between Gads and Hart works well in this film.

Very funny film, but I doubt I will watch this again.

I shall rate this movie a score of 6/10.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARKER

 "Happy 99th Birthday to David Graham, the voice of the Daleks in Doctor Who, Gordon Tracy, Brains, Aloysius Parker and Kyrano in Thunderbirds, and various characters in Super Car, Stingray, The Secret Service, and Fireball XL5. Graham also voiced the Mechanoids and played the onscreen role of Charlie in The Gunfighters. He returned to his role as the voice of the Daleks in 2023, when he recorded new lines for that year's official colourised recut of the 1963 serial The Daleks for the show's 60th anniversary. He is also the voice of Grandpa Pig in the hugely popular children’s cartoon series Peppa Pig."

TODAY'S EVENTS

18^th April 2012 I knew that I almost died but Candy today told me that she was told to expect the worst outcome for me and that she was allowed in the resuss room to say goodbye to me as my heartbeat was down to 20 beats a minute and I was close to dying. But something inside of me kept me going, to fight to live, to come back to Candy.

I think I know what that was and that was my love for Candy as I still very much love her even now, despite my constant worry about her.

She told me today that she was planning on committing suicide 3 years ago when she fell and broke her ankle by that field. She wished that she could have rolled down that slope into the river to drown and not be found. She has been in survival mode since 2002 when her dad had his stroke and passed away and it got worse in 2009 with my legs becoming infected and then in 2012 when I almost died and then in 2013 when I was in hospital for 7 months and I lost my legs and since then having multiple heart attacks, strokes, and seizures and then back in 2020, stupid fucking me pushing her away to save her as I thought she would be better without me, but I fucked up and I know that was a huge mistake I have ever made in my life, and she said that I broke her spirit and she does not love me anymore, she still cares about me and that’s why she is still here as she knows that I would not be able to look after myself nor will I be able to handle this place and she did not want to be known as a coward by the people living here.

She even admitted that two weeks ago, she wanted to set alight numbers 2, 5, 6, and 8 and burn them to death and watch them die in flames while she waits outside for the fire brigade and police officers. She does not mind doing time for them.

I am worried, very worried, I cannot lose her and I need to fix this somehow.

THE COCKNEY GEEZER DOCTOR!

 British Cockney Actor Danny Dyer has revealed he wants to play the next Doctor in Doctor Who!

“I would like to maybe have a go at Doctor Who, something that’s been played by many different actors before and put my own spin on it, my own take on it.”

I'm behind him for this as he can do emotional drama, action roles, and comedy and he will be far better than the current actor who plays the Doctor. And we have never had a Cockney Doctor before!

DEAD BEFORE DAWN

 Last night, I watched this adventure horror comedy film on Tubi.

"A group of college kids accidentally create, and then unleash, a curse that makes anyone they come into contact with kill themselves and then turn into zombie demons aka Zemons"

This is a very low budget, very silly and daft horror flick from Canada with Christopher Lloyd starring in a cameo role. There is a lot of blood and gore which is OTT funnily done.

The curse is very stupid and they came up with some strange ways to devise it. The acting was terrible and I think it was terrible on purpose.

Some of the college kids had stubble and I think they were a lot older than the actual character ages.

The ending was stupid and I won't watch this again.

I've seen far better horror comedies.

I shall rate this horror a score of 4/10.

FAMILY SWITCH

 This afternoon, we watched this Christmas comedy film on Netflix.

"When a chance encounter with a mysterious astrological cosmic event at the Griffith Park Planetarium combined with a strange psychic woman who knows more then she lets on causes the Walkers to wake up to a full body switch, can they unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal, and soccer try out?

The Mum and Daughter swaps places as does the Father and Son, and the Baby and their pet Dog also swaps places."

This is one of those body-swapping films like Freaky Friday, Big, 13 going on to 30, which are entertaining and funny. but this is the first time I've seen the whole family swap bodies including the pet dog and the baby which the CGI for those two were a bit dodgy but still very funny.

The whole family learn how to navigate their new lives and find out what it's like living in their parents/children's shoes for a couple of days.

There are some funny dance scenes and the stars do a wonderful job in their roles.

Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers, Brady Noon and Rita Moreno were all funny and brilliant.

The film is directed by McG and he did a good job.

I would watch this film again as I did find it entertaining.

I shall rate this movie a score of 7/10.

A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER

 Yesterday afternoon, we finished watching this British mystery series on BBC iPlayer.

"Pip Fitz-Amobi, a brilliant young woman, is unsure whether schoolgirl Andie Bell was killed by her lover Sal Singh five years ago. How far will the locals go to protect Pip from learning the truth if Sal Singh turns out not to be the murderer?"

This series is based on the best selling novel of the same name by Holly Jackson.

6 episodes of this first series with the starring role of Pip being played by the American actress Emma Myers who pulls off a real good British accent.

The rest of the cast were pretty good as there are a lot of suspects among them including her close friends and family.

This is a real good mystery series with elements of Midsomer Murders mixed in.

I highly recommend this series to any fan of mystery shows.

I hope they make a second series, so they can adapt the other books.

I shall rate this show a score of 9/10.

BAGHEAD

 Last night, I watched this horror film on Netflix.

"A young woman inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement - Baghead - a shape-shifting witch that will let you speak to lost loved ones, but not without consequence."

This was an average jump scare type of horror with not much gore and blood. but with a very good cast of actors.

There was some neat concepts with the witch and I hope they expand on the character in any future movies they might make.

It was something to watch to pass the time but it was not that great.

I shall rate this flick a score of 6/10.

BRITAIN’S OLDEST BED

 Britain's oldest bed, a sturdy oak four-poster, has endured the trials and tribulations of a longstanding kingdom since the Elizabethan period.

It stands as the sole surviving piece of furniture from Salford's Ordsall Hall. Originally crafted for Sir John Radclyffe and Lady Anne Asshawe in the 1570s, the bed mysteriously disappeared around 1650 during a change of ownership at the Hall. For nearly three centuries, its whereabouts remained unknown until it resurfaced in the home of a resident in Whalley Range, Manchester. The circumstances of how it came into his possession remain a mystery, but the bed was eventually sold off in pieces to cover his death duties. In a stroke of fortune, Dr. Chris Douglas, a collector of medieval and Tudor furniture, painstakingly restored the bed to its former glory in 1968.

THE FOUR

 Randall Dowling- Reed Richards smart but he also could "stretch" his mind, allowing him to leave a piece of his consciousness in the mind of anyone who got within one hundred feet of him. This allowed him an amazing level of control over the most powerful people in the world.

Jacob Greene- a monster in appearance he was a killing machine, and was nearly unstoppable. His kills lacked delicacy or style, but they were efficient and unquestionably final.

Kim Suskind- the daughter of N a z i scientists, she was able to turn invisible and create force fields of varying size and shape but was blind when invisible without the special goggles. She was a talented assassin, preferring to make people's heads blow up. She is in debt to, and in love with, Randall Dowling.

William Leather- he was cheated out of being the son of a superhuman when his mom had an affair and he was the result. He was one of the the group's heavy hitters. He is able to manipulate energy to very precise levels, can fly and seems to have some level of super-strength. He does a lot of the Four's clean-up work, destroying evidence of aliens and advanced technologies.

LESBIAN VAMPIRE

 Carmilla is an 1872 Gothic novella by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu and one of the early works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) by 26 years.

First published as a serial in The Dark Blue (1871–72), the story is narrated by a young woman preyed upon by a female vampire named Carmilla, later revealed to be Mircalla, Countess Karnstein (Carmilla is an anagram of Mircalla). The character is a prototypical example of the lesbian vampire, expressing romantic desires toward the protagonist.

The novella notably never acknowledges homosexuality as an antagonistic trait, leaving it subtle and morally ambiguous. The story is often anthologised, and has been adapted many times in film and other media.

STAR TREK: PRODIGY SEASON ONE

 I've been binge-watching the first season of Star Trek: Prodigy again in time for me to start watching the second season.

People think that this series is for kids only, but it's not. Yes the characters are young and new to being part of Starfleet as they learn to work as a team and as a family with the help of a holographic Janeway to guide them on board the starship Protostar.

The series is action packed with a decent story arc and I will always prefer this animated series to "Lower Decks" which I found to be very boring and unfunny.

If you a Trekkie, you should like this series, don't be put off by the fact that it's animated.

The characters actually grow throughout the 20 episode season and they achieve a lot as a crew of young Starfleet officers.

I thought adding Captain Janeway as the Hologram and as the Vice-Admiral was a neat touch, and this has been the first time that I actually liked her character.

The U.S.S. Protostar is a very neat starship as is the massive U.S.S. Dauntless, commanded by Janeway.

It was really good to actually see alien characters instead of your standard looking humanoid ones with nose ridges. But that is one of the benefits of animation based shows.

I was very impressed by this series and I an looking forward to season 2 as the crew go on a Search for Chakotay!

I will rate this series a score of 9/10.

INSIDE NO. 9 SERIES 9

 Last night, I finished binge-watching series 9 of "Inside No. 9" on BBC iPlayer.

This was the very final series of the British black comedy anthology series, written by and starring Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton and each episode is a self-contained story with new characters and a new setting. Each episode has a new cast, allowing Inside No. 9 to attract a number of well-known British actors.

The stories are linked only by the number 9 in some way, typically taking the form of a door marked with the number 9. Themes and tone vary from episode to episode, but all have elements of comedy and horror or perverse humour, in addition to a plot twist.

I have been enjoying this very much.

Intelligent writing, brilliant acting with astounding actors and fantastic dark humour.

The series ended on a high note with the guests being all the previous actors who made an appearance in the previous 8 seasons.

I will rate this show a score of 9/10.