The Ghost of Tantallon Castle

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This very large edifice in Scotland has been in the news as of late.

Tantallon is a mid-14th century fortress, located about three miles south-east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland.

Tantellon Castle

Tantellon Castle

It sits atop a promontory (I’m thinking that’s a big chunk of rugged coastline) opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth, and since it’s Scotland, the fortress would also be adjacent to the Fifth of Gin.

The reason why it’s in the news?   The photo below:

tantallon-ghost

People are calling this “a ghost”.

What do you think?

Well, call me “Burt Lahrie”, because I do  believe in spooks.  cowardly-lionI do, I do, I do believe in spooks.

BUT….

This photo makes me seriously doubt its legitimacy  despite the three so-called photographic experts who looked at the snap shot, taken by a tourist in early 2008, and deemed it “untouched”.  Now, I’m wondering how in the hell that could be?   The image is too well lit to be in the window of a dark 14th century fortress without sunlight directly peering into said window.   I mean, go back and look at it!  Even the colors are way too vivid, the facial markings (to me anyway) seem too well defined considering the distance from the camera to window AND you can barely see the bars across the entity’s face.   Granted, they’re thin bars, but still distinguishable. Look to the right and to the left of the face, which in and of itself,  looks like it’s half in front of the bars in the window.    It looks weird, plus the color seems so bright and in this case, unnatural all things considered.

So, as ghosts go?  Nah, I don’t think so and mind you, I am by no means an expert.  I can’t use a camera, much less a computer program to insert and/or remove photgraphed images.  Hell,  I think  ‘photoshop’ is a little kiosk in the mall where you can drop off your film and have your photos  ready in an hour.

And I really couldn’t  determine whether this “ghost” is a he or a she.

Here’s a slightly closer look.

tantallon-ghost-close-up

Take a good look.  Study the face.  

I did and I’ve determined that the “ghost” is actually a photo of a human being that had in fact been Photoshopped in the window.  I’m convinced of this and in fact, I think I know who it is.

I first thought the image resembled a cranky Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.  ray-bolger11111

I thought I saw a resemblance in the delightfully pointed eyebrows. That would be the max “Factor”.

Then, I looked more closely and realized that isn’t who it is at all.

But then, who is it?

I spent most of this morning trying to figure this out….and then it hit me.   When you look at the next photos, you just might see the same thing I did.

Here’s another picture of “the ghost” for your edification.

tantallon-ghost-close-up

After careful, deliberate study, I am convinced…CONVINCED…without a shadow of a doubt that this is actually a photo of:

Academy Award winning actress, Anjelica Huston in a period costume and based on her expression in the fortress window, I’d say she’s suffering from severe gas, too:

 anjelica

Tell me I’m wrong.

You…you and your clouds!!

Classic and Funny TV Moments From the U.S., U.K. and Japan

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The videos you are about to watch have been around a while, but they’re perennially funny…at least to me they are.  Hope you’ll find a few laughs that I KNOW you need at this particular time and place.

Our first offering is from a British game show called “Catchphrase”.

This one of my all-time favorite clips:  “Whose Line Is It Anyway”, featruing a wanton and shiney, Richard Simmons. Very,very funny!

From “In Living Color, circa 1991:  the brilliant Jim Carrey as every cheesy televangelist you’ve ever seen.  Behold, the Reverend Carl Pathos.  

Wait till he starts singing!  

And from Japan, a show that perfectly exemplifies  how to publically objectify men and their toilet doins’.   This one ALWAYS has me laughing to the point of weeping.