(n.) a madonna who is depicted with dark skin. found from Italy to France, to Spain, to Philippines, to South America. a patron saint of outsiders, often.
"Research into the Black Madonna phenomenon is limited due to a wide consensus among scholars that the dark-skinned aspect was unintentional." something in art, something on the outskirts of mainstream religion, found across *many* instances -- unintentional? the silliest thing I've read in some time now! it may be metaphorical & symbolic, or it may be literal, or (most definitely) it may vary across the cities and centuries, but it sure is intentional. and that outskirts/ outsider thing -- yea, you bet it is addressing an otherwise-unfulfilled need of the community.

Guadalupe, Spain (crying olive oil):

Poland:

Prague:


https://www.matthewfox.org/blog/the-return-of-the-black-madonna-a-sign-of-our-times-or-how-the-black-madonna-is-shaking-us-up-for-the-twenty-first-century
https://podcastaddict.com/episode/123051483
https://www.missmelindasmetaphysicalservices.com/blog/cult-black-madonna-our-lady-guadalupe
http://libgen.rs/search.php?req=black+madonna&lg_topic=libgen&open=0&view=simple&res=25&phrase=1&column=def
https://www.goodreads.com/search?page=1&q=black+madonna&qid=WPqLt3m3OA&tab=books

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/793242.Longing_for_Darkness
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1197067.The_Black_Madonna_In_Latin_America_And_Europe
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28648036-faces-of-the-black-madonna

n. A large red organ thoughtfully provided by nature to be bilious with. The sentiments and emotions which every literary anatomist now knows to haunt the heart were anciently believed to infest the liver; and even Gascoygne, speaking of the emotional side of human nature, calls it "our hepaticall parte." It was at one time considered the seat of life; hence its name — liver, the thing we live with. The liver is heaven's best gift to the goose; without it that bird would be unable to supply us with the Strasbourg paté.

(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

a genre or design aesthetic of science fiction based around the cultural fears that were endemic in the 1980s and 1990s- urban sprawl, rampant pollution, corporate deregulation, japan, etc.

cyberpunk probably originates with gibson's "neuromancer" series but the classic visual look (oppressive skyscrapers, neon lights, sordid slums, devastated and bleak environments) probably comes from "blade runner."

the main conceit of cyberpunk is 'high-tech, low-humanity;' technology is pervasive, obtrusive, integrated into every aspect of our lives, but in contrast to the optimistic sci-fi of earlier ages, it will not be able to address our myriad social ills. in other words, things will look very cyber, but people will still be punks.

inspired numerous other retrofuturism variants including steampunk, dieselpunk, atompunk, solarpunk, and other nonsense

A magical device for sedentary lifestyle enthusiasts that lovingly cushions your butt cheeks, like the babysitter your parents threatened to kill.
(also: enthusiasts)
(also: cushions)
(also: babysitter)

(n.) an ovular blob fruit, consisting of a scrubby fuzzy skin encasing a ball of green flesh with more seeds than a tommy gun magazine has bullets.

(n.) a flightless bird with scrubby fuzzy plumage

(n.) one hailing from new zealand, a scrubby fuzzy country that floats about near australia

all in all a very versatile word

v.i. to treat with merited indifference the landlord's notification that he has let his house to a party willing to pay.


(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

1. A suit made or brought for the specified purpose of wearing for your birthday.
2. (also: nudity)
3. Being or having been found being naked

a reasonably famous piece of hong kong cinema released in 1978, when the martial arts craze was still going relatively strong. the domestic popularity of the film was such that the central cast was propelled to significant local fame

the plot runs as such: the aged master of the poison clan once had five students, each trained to fight like a different kind of venomous animal: the quick-handed centipede, the flexible snake, the stingy scorpion, the really-good-at-climbing-walls lizard, and the, um, *indestructible* toad. however, this aged master is now on death's doorstoop, and he is haunted by a dream that one or more of these students have used his teachings for evil. he calls on his newest, youngest, sixth student to go to the nearby village and investigate to see which, if any, of the five are guilty, which is complicated by the fact that all the students wore masks and their identities are secret.

in case you're curious (but not curious enough to actually watch the movie): scorpion is evil, centipede is a willing accomplice, snake is an unwilling accomplice, toad is murdered and lizard is a hero who teams up with the main character.

(n.) implement used by one to bring harm onto another, thus sparking off the central intrigue of civilization

am•bur hurd-ing :/ (adj)

One who lies on, gaslights, verbally & physically abuses their partner/spouse.

also:/
One who commits perjury.

also:/
One who fake cries, forces ugly and “sad” facial expressions, and continuously avoids questions she's being asked by the defense, and answers the questions she hears in her own small peanut brain.

Used in a sentence:/

“Can you believe how hard Ashley is Amber Hearding her husband?!? You can clearly see why Justin had to get away from her!”

“ Stay away from that one, the next thing you know she will be you Amber Hearding you to death!”

A benighted person who prefers home-made deities and indigenous religious rites.
(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

the process by which a new human being is brought into the world. traditionally occurs nine months after the act of coitus between a fertile male and female individual.

births are generally regarded as joyous occasions, until the oxytocin wears off and the dread sets in.

A private restaurent in china.

“One love, one heart, one destiny.”
― Robert Marley

Denial of something desired; as an elderly maiden's hand in marriage, to a rich and handsome suitor; a valuable franchise to a rich corporation, by an alderman; absolution to an impenitent king, by a priest and so forth. Refusals are graded in a descending scale of finality thus: the refusal absolute, the refusal conditional, the refusal tentative and the refusal feminine. The last is called by some casuists the refusal assentive.
(also: The Devil's Dictionary)

(n.) remedy, poison, and scapegoat -- a trifecta.
remedy because it can heal, in the right circumstances and the right amounts.
poison because it can cause damage, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, on the wrong person, in the wrong form.
scapegoat because the act of summoning all evils and fallings-short of, say, a community onto one person & then casting them out/ sacrificing them can lead to a clean slate and healing, or it can lead to things being swept under the rug and continued festering.

being reactive (aka, living within past assumptions; aka, blind to your current circumstances) can lead you astray. you may apply some substance, activity or method and expect to heal, but instead, it only causes damage. ready-made "cure-alls" and "easy fixes" fall into this category.

(also: paradox)
(also: damage)
(also: healing)
(also: pay attention)

(n.) little black bird that suddenly appears every time roadkill is near

a very unpopular charlie chaplin-lookalike

to desire a situation that didn't happen due, usually due to making a decision that was more logical or convenient or more beneficial (at that point-in-time)
example: i regret not going to community college and then transferring to university because i would've saved thousands of dollars and still would've graduated within four years anyway!

an indisputable truth that cannot be argued about, as opposed to an opinion, which is subjective, and pointless to argue about.