the name florence nightingale is synonymous with devoted nursing care. during the crimean war of 1853-1856, stories abound of the nurse with the lamp who tenderly cared for british soldiers, working under appalling conditions to save many lives. yet what is not so well known is that nightingales' barracks hospital, located in sutari (since renamed uskudar) near istanbul, actually killed more soldiers than it ever saved, and was in fact responsible for more casualties than the conflict it...

there exists in russia an erotic museum which contains the preserved penis of (evil monkand legendary lover) rasputin on public display in a glass jar as part of an exhibit on sexuality. the museums’ curator, de igor knyaskin, says he has been astounded by the attention the preserved penis is getting, stating that “it is our biggest attraction” (no pun intended). viewing rasputins’ mutilated member has spurred a trend amongst museum visitors, who now rub their hands over the jar con...

by the mere existence of his stomach everyone was condemned to participate in 'the chase'. the stomach might well be satisfied by such participation, but not man insofar as he is a thinking and feeling being out yonder there is this huge world, which exists independently of us human beings and which stands before us like a great, eternal riddle, at least partially accessible to our inspection and thinking. the contemplation of this world beckoned as a liberation, and i soon notice...