Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose

[oldblue]

neat message? surely you're kidding

[PsychedelicRabbit]

I love that poem! It's dark but it has a neat message to it. I can read it over and over and get different wonders from it. Maybe that's what makes it timeless to me.

Have you ever seen the Tower of London before? I've rarely read on dark places, just few. I know a lot more on the dark, famous people. But I think seeing places in London would be mind blowing, completely different than what I'm used to.

hmmm...there may have been a fun part to getting your head chopped off. But you'd have to dig deep enough to find that enjoyment... lol i don't know what I'm saying.

Nazca lines are really cool! I've seen them before but never knew what they were actually called. They must be thousands of years old!!

I like that poem, too. I've heard it before. What exactly does it mean, though? Does the Highway Man represent something? I know I probably sound dumb, but it's been ages since I've read that poem.

I've never been to England, actually. I really want to go. I think the Tower of London and other such places would be mind-boggling and fascinating. I have such an interest in the history of England and I can't exactly tell you why. I have no idea. But the dark past of it is interesting. The Crusades, King Henry VIII, the Victorian era (which isn't dark, actually), etc etc.

I don't think there'd be much fun in getting your head chopped off. I imagine that the first blow to your neck would be grueling pain, especially during that second between life and death. Feeling that gut-wrenching pain and then just...not being there at all. Oh, I feel bad for those who had to go through that torture.

[Susan Butcher]

One thing you should know about the Tower of London is that it's nowhere near as tall as the Empire State. A Texan friend of Carol's went to see the Tower, and was disappointed. "It's just another castle". Perhaps they should start chopping heads off at Centrepoint instead.

I was going to say something about that ruddy song, but it seems a bit late now. (Not a paradox, just clumsy writing, and there's a double negative in the next line.)

[SuperSlick66]

It's a romance. The Highwayman and the Landlord's daughter (Bess) are lovers. Tim the Stableman overhears the Highwayman's talking about how he's leaving for a robbery and that they will have gold when he returns. But since Tim loved the daughter too and was jealous of their love so he tells King George's men about what's going to happen and then they come "marching" to Bess and tie her up to her bed and put a rifle under her chin. They were after the Highwayman and Bess wanted to warn him that they were, so what she does is pulls the trigger on the rifle so he can escape before they capture and kill him. She died then he knew that because he heard the bullet so he flipped out and just let the men kill him. So they were both dead together at the end...living as happy loving ghosts.

I have terrible history on England. Actually the United States is really all that I studied. I know much about Germany though but not as much as I'd like too. What you listed about England barely rings a bell to me. Unless King Henry VIII is the King that got his wives heads chopped off. Everywhere I'm sure has an exciting history, it's just finding out what that excitement is and which appeals to you. Sometimes I feel like the darkest parts of history appeal to me more like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights movement.

Sorry!I forgot to say that my favorite Icee's; coke a cola, cherry and whichever flavor the blue one happens to be.

Maybe the people who got their heads chopped off got an adrenaline rush as it happened so they may have felt little.

[Susan Butcher]

Henry was one of the most selfish bastards to sit on the throne, murderous and destructive to boot, and he was extremely unpopular by the time he died. Romantic, huh? My favourite bit of English history is the Battle of Ashingdon in 1016, where Canute defeated Edmund Ironside and became King of England and Denmark. This is because it took place on a hill only a mile from my old house.

[PsychedelicRabbit]

Oh wow, that poem has such a sad ending. Aww. Wow, how sad is that.

As for England, yeah, it's history is very, very dark. King Henry VIII is one of the worst monarchs in England, I think. He killed all his wives for the dumbest reason - he wanted a male heir, and none of his dead wives ever gave him one. It's so ironic that after all that killing he did, his successor ended up being Queen Elizabeth I, his daughter. And she was one of the best rulers in England.

And anyway, I love his 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn. I have no idea why I find her so fascinating, considering I know so little about her.

Though my personal favorite ruler is Queen Elizabeth II, like I said. I think she's done an overall good job, though I can't say for sure. That's just my opinion, anyway...

The Holocaust appeals to me, too. I have no idea how someone can do just things like that without feeling bad. Seeing people starve, suffer, lose their families, all of it. How can someone, anyone for that matter, want to intentionally hurt another human being? It's absolutely beyond me.

[nicktecky]

SS66: Thank you so much for the picture of Grace on your signature, she looks so relaxed and confident, beautiful.

As for Henry VIII, he was just a king doing what kings did. It is easy to think of all these happenings and think of the dark side of history, but the 20th century was far more destructive than any other. Ordinary people died in their millions. Before then wars were mostly between one bunch of toffs and their mercenaries and another bunch, winner take all. We plebs just kept tilling the soil, whoever was in the big house!

[oldblue]

Oh wow, that poem has such a sad ending. Aww. Wow, how sad is that.

As for England, yeah, it's history is very, very dark. King Henry VIII is one of the worst monarchs in England, I think. He killed all his wives for the dumbest reason - he wanted a male heir, and none of his dead wives ever gave him one. It's so ironic that after all that killing he did, his successor ended up being Queen Elizabeth I, his daughter. And she was one of the best rulers in England.

Henry's successor was his son who became Edward VI. Edward was followed by Henry's daughter who became Mary I and then upon her death came Elizabeth I.

Neither did he kill all his wives. Jane Seymour died of natural causes and Katherine Parr, his wife at the time of his death, survived him. He divorced Katherine of Aragon who died of natural causes and divorced Anne of Cleves who also died of natural causes. Only two -- Anne Boleyn and Kathryn Howard were executed for commiting adultery.

[Susan Butcher]

There was a big Anne Boleyn fad when I was in primary school. This was in Rochford, and Anne was a local. Anyway, it reached a peak of absurdity when one of us claimed she'd seen her ghost in the changing rooms. Hey, did you know you could get plastic models of her in the Sixties?

[SuperSlick66]

The Highway man is like Shakespeare...considering it's a tragedy.

Interesting stuff on King Henry VIII. I guess since he was a king he figured he could do what he wanted...and that was killing his wives. I don't know anything on his wives. I suppose I could Wikipedia it.

Why are you so into Queen Elizabeth II? Do a lot of people like her?

Hitler was so weird. He wanted to be a priest/artist. But ended up doing what he did. He was just a coward that was filled with so much fear. Ickk. I just don't like him and his participating Nazi's.

[oldblue]

Hitler was so weird. He wanted to be a priest/artist. But ended up doing what he did. He was just a coward that was filled with so much fear. Ickk. I just don't like him and his participating Nazi's.

actually -- and this is not to excuse anything else the man did -- hitler displayed considerable courage and bravery as a front line soldier in the german army in world war i. for his valor he received two iron crosses, one first class and one second class. the iron cross is germany's highest military award. he received other medals as well, including the german equivalent of the purple heart for wounds received in battle. he may later have gone off the rails but his military record is a matter of fact.

who in the hell teaches history these days.

[SuperSlick66]

mine is a left over hippie from the 60's

[PsychedelicRabbit]

The Highway man is like Shakespeare...considering it's a tragedy.

Interesting stuff on King Henry VIII. I guess since he was a king he figured he could do what he wanted...and that was killing his wives. I don't know anything on his wives. I suppose I could Wikipedia it.

Why are you so into Queen Elizabeth II? Do a lot of people like her?

Hitler was so weird. He wanted to be a priest/artist. But ended up doing what he did. He was just a coward that was filled with so much fear. Ickk. I just don't like him and his participating Nazi's.

KH8 is...well, he's interesting. I saw this special on him on Youtube a few months back where they went on about his diet. So they went shopping at this grocery store to buy the supplies the cooks would need to feed him, though I can't remember if it was for a week or a day. Anyways, they ended up with 2 carts FULL with groceries. One was totally dedicated to all the meat he ate. It was insane. She kept grabbing all these beefs, steaks, chickens, etc and just loading up the cart with food. And then they went on to say that his calves caused a lot of issues with the blood flow to his legs because of those tights men wore then around their knees. He got so overweight or something that it caused so many issues with his health and circulation.

Anyways. That was more info on King Henry than anyone needed to know .

Honestly? I have no idea why I love Elizabeth II so much. I don't even know what brought it on. I just started watching all this stuff on Youtube about her and I wanted to know more, so I bought this biography on her. She's interesting to me, though I can't say she is to everyone. It also doesn't hurt that she was gorgeous back in the 40s and 50s. I think she's a very brave woman, to be honest. I can't exactly describe why...but I can't imagine going through all that media scrutiny, especially once Princess Diana came around. So many people began hating her then. Meh, lol.

Hitler wasn't dumb, I'll give him that. But I read somewhere that Hitler was half-Jewish. He has a Jewish father, and he saw his father beat up his mother. I'm not sure if that's credible, though, considering I can't even remember where I read it. But still, what he did was a horrible thing, and regardless of someone's past, they should NEVER take out past hurts or angers on someone else. It's the worst thing to do.

[SuperSlick66]

AHH! King Henry VIII was a lot of man!! I can't imagine anyone eating that much food...it's somewhat incredible. Did he end up dying from his weight problem?

Elizabeth II sounds like a wonderful woman! I have to get a book on her now! If you can like her for hardly a reason then there has to be something captivating about her. I love people who can do that.

Whoops to clear a bit up when I say Hitler is filled with fear. I mean that only fear can spring such hatred. My head is kind of wrapped around the idea that all the nasty things in the world based on fear but develops into different feeling but when you cut to the core what's left it fear.Sorry if I'm confusing you. Anyway I don't even think he's worth talking about. Mein Kampf was first a big hint that that man was fucking crazzzzy.

[PsychedelicRabbit]

Henry...well, from what I remember, more or less, he did die from weight issues. Well, his overeating and a lot of other things topped on that caused his death. Like he got a wound in his cheek or something, I believe. So yeah. He was a very...well, I'm sure it wasn't dull around that one. Annoying, but anything but dull.

I can't say everyone will find her interesting, but to me she holds me so captivated. I guess it's because I'd love to know her inner world. Her emotions, thoughts, feelings about things. I find that most interesting about a person, and when someone's thoughts are more or less hidden from everyone, I become more intrigued . She's a wonderful human being, and I love her. The Queen is a wonderful movie if you're interested in watching it. It has a lovely quote said by Tony Blair that really makes me love QEII all the more.

What you said about Hitler is actually one of the basics you learn in psychology. Most acts of hatred like that are actually spurting from a huge fear. But that doesn't mean it's okay to do, you know? It's just horrible. Mein Kampf....hah! I tried to read one chapter of that in Border's once and my god I was so dumbfounded by how nuts it was. So I put it down. It's insane that this was required reading back then in Germany.