Confederate Civil War hero Colonel W.M. Shy!

CSA: The Body of a Confederate Colonel was Discovered in 1977! (18.11.2025)

The Civil War was now in its waning months. The North’s superior industrial strength and never ending supply of manpower had taken their toll over the downtrodden Confederacy. Everything was going downhill for the Rebels. After the fall of Vicksburg the Union had concentrated practically all its force against the “other Rebel army,” the Army of Tennessee. This army was the last hope for the South. It was led by General John Bell Hood who at this time was a physically beaten and emotionally unstable man. He had lost the use of one arm at Gettysburg and lost a leg at the Battle of Chickamauga. He had to be literally strapped to his horse to travel. Hood’s condition well depicted the general condition of the Army of Tennessee at this stage of the war.

Master Zhao Ming Wang & Disciples - Beijing

Beijing: Qianfeng Daoism Seeks World Heritage Site Designation! (10.9.2025)

From what I have seen from the photographs and footage Western travellers have shown me – Master Zhao lives near the Great Wall of China – and always seems to take his guests to this wonderful location. The Zhao Family Home is situated near (or on the boundary with) the mountainous areas of rural Beijing. Daoist “neidan” practice, as well as Taijiquan, is often practiced in these beautiful environs. Of course, Daoist practice is both “easy” and “difficult”. However, if a curious person is interested in Daoist practice, a good place to start is by reading the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) – or “Way Virtue Class”. This may be coupled with the practice of any form of Taijiquan (or internal martial arts – such as Bagua Zhang/Quan or Xinyi-Xingyi), etc. Much progress can be made in a foundational manner until more specific instruction can be gained from a qualified Daoist Master.

Museum Artefacts in St Albans!

St Albans: Verulamium Museum! (29.5.2024)

Of course, Roman rule was collapsing by the time (in the 4th century) that Christianity was becoming popular throughout the Roman Empire. Some wealthy Romans tolerated Christianity prior to this date (perhaps 3rd century) as being just one of many choices of belief from across their Empire – as the Roman Authorities were not yet exclusively “Christian”. This is why Celtic Christianity was probably from Egypt and premised upon the monasticism of the Desert Fathers – having little directly to do with Rome. The Catholic Church did not arrive as a State power in England until the Norman Conquest of 1066 (isolated Catholic Churches and monasteries had arrived in England prior to this date – but possessed no political influence or power with England’s Celtic Chiefs or Anglo-Saxon Kings). In just one-hundred years of its arrival in 1066 – this new and aggressive type of intolerant Christianity had wiped-out its Celtic cousin by the 12th century.

Gee & Me - St Albans Abbey - 2024

St Albans Abbey: Interior & Enclosures! (29.5.2024)

Abbot, Abbesses and other Head Monastics were offered a life-long pension from the Crown amounting to 1% of the annual income of the monastery being dissolved. As St Albans made around £1000 per year – the Abbot received a guaranteed £10 per year – a very substantial amount for the time. The idea was to purchase their compliance. Those who resisted were tried for Treason and publicly executed. Henry gave away monastic property to his favourites – or sold it at a cut-price to other interested parties. All the accumulated gold, silver, copper, led and bronze, as well as gemstones – were sold into the public domain and effectively laid the foundation for a modern capitalist economy. This freeing of monastic treasure into the public domain represented a massive injection of wealth into the English economy – stimulating buying, selling and market speculation. When the movable wealth ran-out – the brick-work and foundations of many monasteries were dismantled and used to reinforce Henry’s castles along the coast – or in the case of Merton Abbey – to build Nonsuch Palace in Surrey! Whereas the monks were opposed to greed and grasping – a new secular society emphasised the exact opposite to get on. Now, greed, lying and cheating guaranteed the personal accumulation of wealth that could purchase a place to live, schooling, food, travel and leisure, etc. Of course, supporting Henry often guaranteed social climbing. Modern capitalism was invented in England by Henry VIII.

Buddhism: The Marxist-Dhamma Interface! (14.12.2023)

Although Buddhism is apolitical – in the rel world even an apolitical entity has a political function – even if that function involves the permanent position of ‘opposing’ any and all manifestations of human ignorance known as “political” structures! What are these structures? These unwanted structures are any manifestations premised upon greed, hatred, and delusion, and which function within the inverted world of dualistic being. Such constructs are inherently suffering producing and are not conducive to human happiness. This is why Buddhists strive to uproot greed, hatred, and delusion from their minds and bodies – and in so doing generate the conditions for a better outward world. Click on the above link to read more…

Dozens of Relics Discovered in South China Sea Shipwrecks! (6.9.2022)

The submersible is capable of using sonar to locate objects as small as a grain of rice and can cover an area of around 100 square kilometers a day. 

Manned deep dives were also carried out for the underwater identification and extraction of relics after the unmanned submersible located possible relic sites.  

After the excavation of the 66 relics, researchers have continued carrying out further investigations using technologies such as image data extraction and three-dimensional laser scanning. 

“A complete work flow for deep sea archaeological investigations has been established,” Deng Qijiang, deputy director of the Institute of Underwater Archaeology of State Administration of Cultural Heritage, told media. 

As the ancient Maritime Silk Road passed through its waters, the South China Sea holds an abundance of historical treasures beneath its surface.

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