THE WORLD’S REMOTEST INHABITED ISLAND
That would be Tristan da Cunha in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. Some 260 Tristanians live here, all British citizens as the island is a UK Territory, in the island’s only community of Edinburgh-of-the-Seven-Seas. There’s no way to fly here – you have to take a boat for at least a week from Cape Town (and then a week back).
Tristanians are among the world’s most special people. Since the island was first settled in 1810, there has never been a single murder, abortion, or divorce among them. They are at peace with themselves, unfailingly cheerful, hospitable, and contented. If you are lucky enough to reach here, you may not want to ever leave. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #42 Photo ©Jack Wheeler)
NO FEAR OF THE EVIL EYE: Envy and Black Magic
Fifth installment: Chapter Five of Part I: Envy. Your Forum comments are very helpful – and interesting!
ENVY AND BLACK MAGIC
It took me a year to get the book – the American edition finally came out in 1970. I immediately recognized it was a work of prodigious scholarship encyclopedic in scope. Schoeck’s research of anthropological field studies of traditional cultures across the globe was exhaustive.I learned that the Jivaro belief that death is always murder was in no way unique – a lack of the concept of natural death, that death was always malevolently perpetrated by demons, sorcery, or physically for real, was prevalent among the majority of traditional cultures, whether in the Amazon, Africa, or the Pacific.
It’s commonly understood that the lives of people in traditional or peasant societies everywhere is suffused with superstition. The world for them is teeming with demons, spirits, ghosts and gods, all of whom are malicious, dangerous, and must be placated.
But why are they so malicious? Why are they out to get us, instead of being on our side? Why do they have to be constantly appeased?
THE SACRED LAKE OF PHOKSUNDO
West of the Himalayan giants of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri in Nepal lies a roadless high wilderness inhabited only by Tibetan nomads called Dolpa. The region is named after them, Dolpo. The Dolpa practice the ancient pre-Buddhist animist religion of Tibet called Bön. They worship sites of nature they consider holy. And holiest of all is the Sacred Lake of Phoksundo.
The Dolpa consider the blue of Phoksundo an act of magic by the gods. Once you see it, you can only agree. This picture is not photoshopped – it is real. We visit it in late October when it is ice free on our Himalaya Helicopter Expeditions. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #41 Photo ©Jack Wheeler)
SIGN OF THE YEAR
HALF-FULL REPORT 09/11/20
Remember when the constant fear was of the next Islamofascist terror attack? Seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it? Sure seems like Donaldus Magnus has cooked that goose. Maybe not for good, but it’s certainly something to celebrate today.
And so we open with a celebration of MAGA with Ricky Rebel – a Grammy-winning pop star glam rocker who’s a bisexual Trump supporter. How about that to mess Leftie minds up? The BLM-Antifatards in Beverly Hills simply forgot how to riot with this patriot rocker dancing in front of them. The BH police were thoroughly confused but happy.
Here we go with another great HFR…
WHAT ISLAMISTS AND WOKEISTS HAVE IN COMMON
Naive observers explain this summer’s protests in terms of African-Americans’ material disadvantages. Yet they aren’t the main driver of the protests, which appear to be led mainly by well-off white people.
Their ideology goes by many names: cancel culture, social justice, critical race theory, intersectionality. For simplicity, I call it all Wokeism.
I am not about to equate Wokeism and Islamism. There are many differences. But consider the resemblances.
FLASHBACK FRIDAY – JOHNNY AND THE TSANTSA
November 17, 1976. When I wrote my book “The Adventurer’s Guide,” it was a fantasy of mine to go on the Tonight Show and have Johnny Carson hold a “tsantsa,” a human shrunken head – as a book chapter was “How To Live With Headhunters.” As you can see, that fantasy came true. I still can’t believe how relaxed I was in the studio photo. That’s because Carson had a magical ability to put a guest like me, no professional performer, at ease. The cameras and lights, the audience, millions watching on TV all went away. It was just me talking to this friendly fellow with no one around. An amazing experience. Some dreams can really happen! (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #40 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
THE UGLY PRIVILEGE OF RICH WHITE PROTESTERS
NYPD mug shots of rich kid domestic terrorists
The so-called revolutionaries who were busted for rioting at a New Afrikan Black Panther Party rally took a break from their yacht club lives and modeling careers to be a part of the mayhem.
The seven “comrades” — including wealthy Upper East Sider Clara Kraebber — had their mugshots tweeted out by the NYPD early Wednesday (9/09), days after their arrests for smashing storefront windows in the Flatiron District.
They were cuffed during a protest organized by the Panthers and the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement groups condemning the death of Daniel Prude, who was killed while in custody of the Rochester Police Department in March. Yes, six months ago.
All come from privileged backgrounds — leading one police source to call their actions “the height of hypocrisy.”
SKYE’S LINKS 091020
“He would mess with every single woman or teen, it was horrible”
This is significant because someone may have retained a copy of that file or there may be other records; Biden appears to be eminently blackmailable. Now what happens if two or more different blackmailers have the goods on Biden and issue opposing incompatible demands? If the 'Crat powers that be didn't have the goods on a candidate, I doubt whether they would be allowed to become a finalist, and that includes Harris.
Secret Service Admits To Destroying Records In Alleged Biden Breast-Grabbing Incident
How to construct a propaganda narrative:
"Infiltrated By Nazis..." - The Rise Of The New Normal 'Gleichschaltung'
Do as we say, not as we do:
San Francisco Gym Owners Irate After Learning City Government Gyms Are Open
There’s LOTS more!
THE FLATTEST PLACE ON EARTH
The Salar de Uyuni, 12,000 feet high in the Altiplano of Bolivia, is a 4,000 square mile expanse of salt so flat it is used to calibrate the altimeters of NASA observation satellites of the earth. After a rain, it becomes the world’s largest mirror, 80 miles across. The incredible reflective surface extends to the horizon in every direction – it is both hallucinatingly disorienting and makes for amazing mirror-to-horizon photos (especially at sunrise/sunset).
The brine underneath the salt crust contains 70% of the world’s lithium – critical to our battery-fueled global economy – produced in evaporation pools that are a kaleidoscope of colors.
You can stay here in relative luxury at one of the world’s most unique hotels – the Palacio de Sal, built entirely of salt: walls, floors, ceilings, furniture, sculptures. Being here is one of South America’s more astounding experiences. Let me know if you want a Wheeler Expedition to take you there! (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #39 Photo ©Jack Wheeler)