334 definitions by Lorelili
A period of early modern European history (spanning from the 1400s to the middle 1600s) during which there was an increased paranoia and thus hysteria that there were witches practicing forms of vice to harm the people... and these "witches" were thus tried and executed for it.
Contrary to many pagan sources, the death toll of nine million people, almost exclusively women, who were trying to keep their indigenous pre-Christian religions alive, is about as real as the Blair Witch Project; records show that somewhere between 50,000 and 300,000 people were tried (and about 48% of them executed) on charges of witchcraft.
The loss of nine million people would severely have crippled society. And those tried and executed were, by and large, Christians who asked for God to save them; anybody with strange quirks, liberal views, red hair, suspicious skin marks (freckles, birthmarks, moles, warts, etc), animal companions, or some difference that called attention, you were suspect. You were especially vulnerable if you were a woman, but roughly 25% of the victims were men (virtually all of Iceland's accused were men).
And many countries were virtually untouched by the this frenzy; Ireland saw only four "witches" executed while Russia saw ten executions; Germany, Switzerland, and eastern France saw the most hysteria.
Contrary to many pagan sources, the death toll of nine million people, almost exclusively women, who were trying to keep their indigenous pre-Christian religions alive, is about as real as the Blair Witch Project; records show that somewhere between 50,000 and 300,000 people were tried (and about 48% of them executed) on charges of witchcraft.
The loss of nine million people would severely have crippled society. And those tried and executed were, by and large, Christians who asked for God to save them; anybody with strange quirks, liberal views, red hair, suspicious skin marks (freckles, birthmarks, moles, warts, etc), animal companions, or some difference that called attention, you were suspect. You were especially vulnerable if you were a woman, but roughly 25% of the victims were men (virtually all of Iceland's accused were men).
And many countries were virtually untouched by the this frenzy; Ireland saw only four "witches" executed while Russia saw ten executions; Germany, Switzerland, and eastern France saw the most hysteria.
The second most popular book of the Burning Times (after the Bible) was the Malleus Maleficarum ("The Witch's Hammer"), an absolutely humorless and misogynistic guide to "finding witches".
Southwestern Germany saw the worst of the Burning Times; Wurzburg saw several hundred executed through the late 1620s, including several priests and a number of children.
There were allegedly towns, largely in Germany, where there were no women left after the Inquisitors came through.
Southwestern Germany saw the worst of the Burning Times; Wurzburg saw several hundred executed through the late 1620s, including several priests and a number of children.
There were allegedly towns, largely in Germany, where there were no women left after the Inquisitors came through.
by Lorelili July 10, 2008
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A Hungarian countess (1560-1614) known for her beauty and her cold-blooded sadism. In 1611, she was accused of the torture and murder of over 600 young women, most of them the adolescent daughters of Slovak peasants; as long as her victims were not her fellow Hungarians, she could do as she pleased.
It was when she had exhausted the local population of peasant girls and began preying on the daughters of lesser nobles and the gentry that the authorities intervened.
According to legends added over 110 years after her death, she was said to have bathed and even drank the blood of her victims to gain their youth, beauty, and vitality.
It was when she had exhausted the local population of peasant girls and began preying on the daughters of lesser nobles and the gentry that the authorities intervened.
According to legends added over 110 years after her death, she was said to have bathed and even drank the blood of her victims to gain their youth, beauty, and vitality.
In a case that is over 400 years old, fact and legend are difficult to separate, but Elizabeth Bathory was clearly among them most prolific serial killers of history.
An intelligent, accomplished woman, she belonged to a powerful, wealthy family and was educated beyond even her male peers. She could speak, read and write in Hungarian, German, Latin, and Greek while most of the nobles around her could barely read or write.
She and her husband had three sons and three daughters and she doted on them all... when she wasn't torturing pretty maidens behind their backs, especially the buxom ones because they supposedly lasted longer.
Very likely a psychopath, she allegedly bedded many men and women throughout her adult life (and gave birth to an illegitimate daughter through a peasant boy some months before she married). Never once did she show remorse or accept responsibility for her crimes.
An intelligent, accomplished woman, she belonged to a powerful, wealthy family and was educated beyond even her male peers. She could speak, read and write in Hungarian, German, Latin, and Greek while most of the nobles around her could barely read or write.
She and her husband had three sons and three daughters and she doted on them all... when she wasn't torturing pretty maidens behind their backs, especially the buxom ones because they supposedly lasted longer.
Very likely a psychopath, she allegedly bedded many men and women throughout her adult life (and gave birth to an illegitimate daughter through a peasant boy some months before she married). Never once did she show remorse or accept responsibility for her crimes.
by Lorelili March 01, 2010
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(November 27, 1843-September 30, 1888) The third recognized victim of Jack the Ripper. Known as "Long Liz" by friends later in life, for her last name and lanky physique.
Born Elisabeth Gustafsdottir to a peasant family west of Gothenburg, Sweden. Unlike the other victims, Liz turned to prostitution early in life and at five-foot-five, with her dark brown hair, grey eyes, and angular features, she was a striking woman. She was known among Gothenburg police and gave birth to a stillborn daughter in April, 1865. In 1866, she moved to London as a domestic servant and in 1869 she married John Thomas Stride, a carpenter 13 years older than her. Their marriage was stormy and they separated at least twice, for the last time in 1881.
After leaving Stride, Liz lived in a dosshouse and lived off of charity handouts in addition to sewing, housekeeping, and occasional prostitution. From 1885 until her death, she had an on-and-off relationship with a dockworker, Michael Kidney. While described as "calm" and "sober", Liz was arrested several times for drunk and disorderly conduct and she and Michael were often at each other's throats.
Born Elisabeth Gustafsdottir to a peasant family west of Gothenburg, Sweden. Unlike the other victims, Liz turned to prostitution early in life and at five-foot-five, with her dark brown hair, grey eyes, and angular features, she was a striking woman. She was known among Gothenburg police and gave birth to a stillborn daughter in April, 1865. In 1866, she moved to London as a domestic servant and in 1869 she married John Thomas Stride, a carpenter 13 years older than her. Their marriage was stormy and they separated at least twice, for the last time in 1881.
After leaving Stride, Liz lived in a dosshouse and lived off of charity handouts in addition to sewing, housekeeping, and occasional prostitution. From 1885 until her death, she had an on-and-off relationship with a dockworker, Michael Kidney. While described as "calm" and "sober", Liz was arrested several times for drunk and disorderly conduct and she and Michael were often at each other's throats.
Elizabeth Stride often told acquaintances that she'd lost her husband and two of her nine children in the sinking of the "Princess Alice" in 1878 and another survivor had kicked her in the mouth as they swam to safety, causing her to stammer. While Liz was missing the teeth in her lower left jaw, Thomas Stride actually had died of tuberculosis in 1884 and they had no children. This story was most likely to elicit sympathy and financial aid from others.
At 12:35 AM, Liz was seen speaking with a man in Dutfield's Yard, next to the International Working Men's Educational Club on Berner Street. At about 1 AM, Louis Diemshutz, the steward of the club, pulled into Dutfield's Yard with his pony and cart when the pony was startled by something in the darkness and refused to go farther.
Diemshutz dismounted the cart, knelt in front of his horse, and struck a match; he saw Liz Stride lying in the dirt with her throat cut and bleeding.
Beyond the throat wound, Liz had not been injured and her clothing was undisturbed, unlike Polly Nichols and Annie Chapman. Perhaps she was not a Ripper victim, perhaps the Ripper meant to go farther when the arrival of Diemschutz interrupted him. Having botched this killing, Jack had to flee. Leaving the East End and crossing into the City of London, he happened upon Mitre Square... and another victim, Catherine Eddowes.
At 12:35 AM, Liz was seen speaking with a man in Dutfield's Yard, next to the International Working Men's Educational Club on Berner Street. At about 1 AM, Louis Diemshutz, the steward of the club, pulled into Dutfield's Yard with his pony and cart when the pony was startled by something in the darkness and refused to go farther.
Diemshutz dismounted the cart, knelt in front of his horse, and struck a match; he saw Liz Stride lying in the dirt with her throat cut and bleeding.
Beyond the throat wound, Liz had not been injured and her clothing was undisturbed, unlike Polly Nichols and Annie Chapman. Perhaps she was not a Ripper victim, perhaps the Ripper meant to go farther when the arrival of Diemschutz interrupted him. Having botched this killing, Jack had to flee. Leaving the East End and crossing into the City of London, he happened upon Mitre Square... and another victim, Catherine Eddowes.
by Lorelili October 07, 2012
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Either means the people of England or a sadly mangled language. Once belonging to the Germanic Anglo-Saxons, the language has since become influenced by scores of other languages, slowly destroying the English language and its structure and rules.
Shanty (From Gaelic "Sean taigh"("old house")), galore (from Gaelic "gu leòr" ("enough")), whiskey (from Gaelic "uisge" ("water")), hamburger (from "Hamburg steak"), flower (from French "fleur", itself from Latin "flor"), bloom (from German "blum" ("flower")) and countless other words from so many other languages have, for better or worse, steeped into English.
Shanty (From Gaelic "Sean taigh"("old house")), galore (from Gaelic "gu leòr" ("enough")), whiskey (from Gaelic "uisge" ("water")), hamburger (from "Hamburg steak"), flower (from French "fleur", itself from Latin "flor"), bloom (from German "blum" ("flower")) and countless other words from so many other languages have, for better or worse, steeped into English.
"Let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant or ham in hamburger, neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins were not invented in England or french fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose, 2 meese? One index, two indices? Is cheese the plural of choose?
If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? Park on driveways and drive on parkways?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can the weather be hot as hell one day an cold as hell another?
When a house burns up, it burns down. You fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm clock goes off by going on.
When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it?
Now I know why I flunked my English. It’s not my fault; the silly language doesn’t quite know whether it’s coming or going." -Richard Lederer.
English muffins were not invented in England or french fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose, 2 meese? One index, two indices? Is cheese the plural of choose?
If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? Park on driveways and drive on parkways?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can the weather be hot as hell one day an cold as hell another?
When a house burns up, it burns down. You fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm clock goes off by going on.
When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it?
Now I know why I flunked my English. It’s not my fault; the silly language doesn’t quite know whether it’s coming or going." -Richard Lederer.
by Lorelili March 28, 2005
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(1868-1913) A Spanish serial killer, aka "The Vampire of Barcelona": a sociopath with a business plan.
She arrived in Barcelona in 1888 and began working as a maid, but found that she could earn more working as a prostitute. A quick learner, she took the chance to overhear the perverse secrets of the wealthy. Soon she opened a brothel, prostituting children ages 5 through 14 to the city's rich pedophiles. Always adept at capturing children, she would dress in rags and visit the destitute Raval district, where the children looked the most abandoned. She could then go to the galas at the opera house in all of her finery, meeting with her clients. In 1909, her brothel was discovered by police, but her wealthy contacts intervened, saving her from prison.
Enriqueta's next move was the cosmetic needs of the wives and mistresses of her clientele; she began procuring children ages twelve and under, killing them and using their bone marrow, blood, and fat as face creams, love potions, charms, and cures for typhoid, tuberculosis, syphilis, and other diseases. In February, 1912, the reports of six-year-old Teresita Guitart's abduction and a suspicious neighbor's sighting of the missing girl led to Enriqueta Martí's downfall. Her list of contacts was discovered among bloody clothes of children, knives, scalps of blond hair, jars of blood and fat, various scorched bones, and an old book of potions.
She arrived in Barcelona in 1888 and began working as a maid, but found that she could earn more working as a prostitute. A quick learner, she took the chance to overhear the perverse secrets of the wealthy. Soon she opened a brothel, prostituting children ages 5 through 14 to the city's rich pedophiles. Always adept at capturing children, she would dress in rags and visit the destitute Raval district, where the children looked the most abandoned. She could then go to the galas at the opera house in all of her finery, meeting with her clients. In 1909, her brothel was discovered by police, but her wealthy contacts intervened, saving her from prison.
Enriqueta's next move was the cosmetic needs of the wives and mistresses of her clientele; she began procuring children ages twelve and under, killing them and using their bone marrow, blood, and fat as face creams, love potions, charms, and cures for typhoid, tuberculosis, syphilis, and other diseases. In February, 1912, the reports of six-year-old Teresita Guitart's abduction and a suspicious neighbor's sighting of the missing girl led to Enriqueta Martí's downfall. Her list of contacts was discovered among bloody clothes of children, knives, scalps of blond hair, jars of blood and fat, various scorched bones, and an old book of potions.
Enriqueta Martí adamantly stated that her clients were the monsters, but not her; it was just her business. Child prostitutes for the gentlemen, elixirs and face creams for the ladies.
The high-class women who brought Enriqueta's "face creams" knew where these products came from, but a street child was little more than a piece of trash to them.
The police arrived in time to save Teresita and another six-year-old, Angelita, but too late to save Pepito, a boy of the same age; Angelita saw Martí kill him and serve his flesh as a meal.
Enriqueta Martí was killed in 1913 by her fellow inmates, but none of her clients was ever brought to justice.
The high-class women who brought Enriqueta's "face creams" knew where these products came from, but a street child was little more than a piece of trash to them.
The police arrived in time to save Teresita and another six-year-old, Angelita, but too late to save Pepito, a boy of the same age; Angelita saw Martí kill him and serve his flesh as a meal.
Enriqueta Martí was killed in 1913 by her fellow inmates, but none of her clients was ever brought to justice.
by Lorelili November 23, 2010
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Something that is sexually arousing, sensuous.
The main difference between erotica and pornography seems to be that erotica is closer to fine art and of a romantic nature while pornography is seen as crass and degrading.
The main difference between erotica and pornography seems to be that erotica is closer to fine art and of a romantic nature while pornography is seen as crass and degrading.
The Song of Songs is among the most erotic passages in the Bible (or in any literature).
Romantic literature is often erotic:
"...their lips rosy and swollen in delight... Tatiana's honey-colored skin was flushed pink as she collapsed against the luxuriously full pillows on the bed, her obsidian hair spilling in all directions, the hillocks of her bosom peaked with excitement. Felipe's sinewy, barrel chested form and his smouldering coffee eyes gazed upon her eagerly as his strong, cinnamon hands gently caressed her silken thighs, like two gazelles, and the fullness of her hips. His breath caught in his throat as he beheld the blossom of her loins in its nest of curls, the petals dripping with the nectar of her desire, her pearl awaiting his kiss. Felipe's bull shoulders trembled, the head of his soldier rose and peered through its hood..."
Romantic literature is often erotic:
"...their lips rosy and swollen in delight... Tatiana's honey-colored skin was flushed pink as she collapsed against the luxuriously full pillows on the bed, her obsidian hair spilling in all directions, the hillocks of her bosom peaked with excitement. Felipe's sinewy, barrel chested form and his smouldering coffee eyes gazed upon her eagerly as his strong, cinnamon hands gently caressed her silken thighs, like two gazelles, and the fullness of her hips. His breath caught in his throat as he beheld the blossom of her loins in its nest of curls, the petals dripping with the nectar of her desire, her pearl awaiting his kiss. Felipe's bull shoulders trembled, the head of his soldier rose and peered through its hood..."
by Lorelili November 03, 2012
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Sexually arousing material (film, book, pictures or otherwise) that are also of a loving, romantic nature. It can be geared toward straight and gay/lesbian audiances. Also see slash, yuri, yaoi, among others.
As opposed to pornography, which usually is just for the sexual aspect. Pornography has been critcized by feminists as degrading to women.
As opposed to pornography, which usually is just for the sexual aspect. Pornography has been critcized by feminists as degrading to women.
Homosexual erotica...
"Jonathan embraced David, running his hand through the soft, raven curls of David's hair. David planted soft kisses along his sweetheart's cheek, before their lips met passionately... Jonathan, aching for the feel his beloved David, kissed his way down David's exposed bosom, flicking his tongue lightly over a taut nipple. David moaned in ecstacy. Jonathan growled playfully, his voice husky with desire, tracing his fingertips over his lover's soft flesh, running them from David's belly down to his thigh."
"Jonathan embraced David, running his hand through the soft, raven curls of David's hair. David planted soft kisses along his sweetheart's cheek, before their lips met passionately... Jonathan, aching for the feel his beloved David, kissed his way down David's exposed bosom, flicking his tongue lightly over a taut nipple. David moaned in ecstacy. Jonathan growled playfully, his voice husky with desire, tracing his fingertips over his lover's soft flesh, running them from David's belly down to his thigh."
by Lorelili August 15, 2005
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