Anent The Conjuring of Thought from Machine

When one ventures beyond the comforting indifference of the crowd, one finds many vastly different, yet equally strongly held, views on AI Chatbots and similar such contrivances. However, to the enlightened mind only one opinion matters: that of the Prophet Lovecraft. And so I set forth to ask. Due to a foul confluence of unclear …

Season 2, Episode 8: A Tale of Sorrow

SCENE 3 Open on a back alley somewhere in Hyrkania: DR VAL ARRIA The ashes were trampled into the earth, but that’s not the strange part. Look how the blood has become like snow. SERGEANT SUBOTAI Does that look like a trophy rack to you? ARRIA I’d need to do some tests SUBOTAI Can you …

Shattered Perception

Through the random electrical waves of the internet, a picture of a broken mug turned into a garden entered my stream today. The image had an aspirational text on it of perfect pleasantness; however, I was more interested in the image than that message so I tracked down the original. Freed of the need to …

Discerning Sadness

Taking a break from his award-winning stint as a poltergeist, Alasdair Beckett-King has done some important research into murder investigations. Obviously, I hope none of you are planning to get yourselves murdered; however, as the socially awkward sometimes say, "It's never too early think about being late." Does one choose Iceland, which offers the option …

Gourd Fortune to All!

As a member of an ancient West Country lineage, I will be celebrating today with that sacred and secret turnipial ritual The Mangling of the Wurzel. While I can't share the details of that with you, I hope you will join me in a pumpkin round: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVuToMilP0A

Squamous Decay

Cold winds howl around me! A claw tears at the very fabric! Foulness spreads! The black abyss gapes ever closer! By which of course I mean that we are having our decking replaced, so there is a craftsperson prying up rotten boards and carrying them through the house to their van with the resultant wind-tunnel …

Mocking the Devil

The rather knowledgeable and decidedly spiffy Yvonne Aburrow has issued a challenge to write an Occult Clerihew. In remembrance of the first conversation I had with her, I have chosen to respond with a whimsy upon the founder of the Church of Satan: The purveyor of ethical evil LaVey Liked his faith with a bit …

Introducing “The Obfuscator”!

Are you one of those people who looks good in hats? If not, read on. I have always struggled with hats. Occasionally wearing a hat works, but many hats don't look good on me, cause my head to overheat, or have some other issue—sometimes even a hat that worked won't the next time. My relationship …

Wiser Elephant

There has been some debate on the internet over the correct way to make a cup of tea. While the question of whether the "seawater plunge" method of steeping erodes the very soul of a nation has been answered, the question of when to add milk to a cup appears to still vex people. However, …

Not My Preferred Bunting

This coming weekend is the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee in the United Kingdom. Because it's the Platinum Jubilee, we have an extra Bank Holiday on Friday. As a resident of Britain, I am obliged to have thoughts about it; so, I put down my cup of tea for a moment, made myself a cup …