October 29, 2007 (Salem-News.com / Tim King) -- During my two months on assignment in the Afghanistan combat theater last winter, I covered all kinds of military operations for Salem-News.com and Oregon's KPTV FOX-12. While I was there I spent time on forward combat bases, I went on infantry foot patrols, flew in helicopters, and witnessed levels of disparity that were hard to imagine.

Any broad exploration of pre-Industrial European society cannot help but touch upon the plethora of peasant tales that both served to entertain the populace and teach morality to the children of Europe. On surface examination, at least, this function of folklore seems apparent enough. It is a perfectly valid assessment of the function of common fable--but in many respects, it is inadequate.

July 1, 2008 (MinaNews / Kidapawan City) -- Was it an aswang (the Filipino’s version of a vampire) that killed sheep and goats in barangay Lower Manongol here? On Sunday, three goats owned by Cielo Alonzo were seen dead and disemboweled, in a vacant lot owned by Danny Guerero in Purok 2A, Barangay Lower Manongol here, around 2:30 p.m.

Early theologians had a real problem with the status of women in regard to Genesis. Here is this supposedly weak creature twisting Man around her finger and bringing death on the entire race. A "logical" answer presented itself in splitting woman into the Madonna/whore dichotomy. There was even a Biblical basis for Lilith.

*waking in the room, Saraphine knows that she is in the Black Raven Inn. Not knowing nor remembering how she got there, she is still very groggy and can't see very well, she can make out a figure standing over her*

"Hello? Who are you and where am I?" She manages to stammer before falling back asleep.

Saraphine Anura
14 May 2001