Blowing Bubbles

Detail from the Isabella Breviary, Southern Netherlands (Bruges), late 1480s and before 1497, British Library, Additional 18851, f. 470v


Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Children's Games (detail) 1560


Hendrick Goltzius Quis Evadet? 1594


Karel van Sichem: Homo Bulla, around 1617


Attributed to Jaques de Gheyn II (Antwerp 1565-1629) A vanitas allegory: Homo Bulla Est, a boy blowing bubbles while another watches and a young woman holds a skull by candlelight


Bartolomeus van der Helst Homo Bulla: A Boy Blowing Bubbles, c.1665

Here are more.

Making soap bubbles goes back at least as far as the 14th century: it was one of Froissart's boyhood amusemants

"the most cruel, abusive labor market in America"

Harsh but fair.

Prisoners of war in the Hundred Years War : the golden age of private ransoms

Rémy Ambühl's thesis gives a rich picture of the complex institution of ransom. My thanks to Peter Taylor for noting this.

Stunning Pictures of the Meteor Over Russia

A professional photographer was in the right place at the right time.

WSJ on Gun Control

When some people believe they need to shoot several other people, there is no question that the lack of a magazine holding more than ten rounds would impair them.

When some people believe they need to shoot several other people, the impact of them not having a magazine holding more than ten rounds is questionable. "For a practiced and calm shooter, swapping magazines takes no more than a couple of seconds. And a swap may not even be necessary if the shooter has multiple guns..."

The cognitive dissonance, it burns.

Handel with Zeppelins

Handel is wonderful, but even more awesome WITH ZEPPELINS. Which the Glyndebourne Opera provided in their 2005 performance of Giulio Cesare. Also fezzes, and fezzes are cool. WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED?

Lack of Zeppelins was a missed opportunity for the Branagh Magic Flute, if you ask me.

Space Marines V

Rocket Pack by ~WillMcLean on deviantART

He peered through the grimdark with his IR goggles. Off on their left flank a formation of Elvi had just unleashed one of their traditional choreographed ripplefire volleys, the stocks of their Dallyguns coming to their shoulders in a perfectly synchronized wave. As usual, it looked impressive as hell. Also as usual, it told the enemy exactly when to duck.

Space Marines IV

Space Marines III

Spaceman with Umbilical by ~WillMcLean on deviantART

The Space Marines! The Space Marines!
The wonderful, glorious Space Marines!
When chitinous aliens are seeking your spleens
Who do you call for? The Space Marines!

Space Marines II

Alien by ~WillMcLean on deviantART

Sergeant Hardrock of the Space Marines bounded across the barren landscape, his enormous duck-foot sabatons  leaving deep prints in the ash. He understood their necessity: with the powered armor and weapons weighing half a ton, it was the only way to keep ground pressure within reasonable limits. But he hated the way they spoiled the generally intimidating look of the armor. There was a reason that recruiting posters only showed the Space Marines from the knees up.

He paused and triggered the voice activated controls. "Scratch back. Up. Up. Left. More. Stop."

At least they had finally got that right in the Mark VIII hardsuit.