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December 04, 2024
Ergot poisoning, Salem, Communists

An article I updated, written in 2014.
https://conservativeweasel.blogspot.com/2020/11/mon-16th-november-2020-current-affairs.html
Salem Witch hunt and Ergot poisoning

The disease of wheat that can lead to effects similar to LSD is caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which results in a condition known as ergotism. Ergotism arises from consuming grains contaminated with ergot, which contains alkaloids like lysergic acid, the precursor to LSD.

A theory doing the rounds regarding the Salem Witch trials is that a substantial role was played by ergot poisoning. The LSD like effects of the mould found in uncooked affected wheat has been said to have substantially explained other events too, like when a French Village went mad shortly after WW2 after a popular bakery distributed some affected wheat. The theory is attractive to the writer because it positions Arthur Miller's The Crucible as a polemic which was more propaganda than reality. Although the late unlamented Senator Joseph McCarthy went about his witch hunt the wrong way, he had investigated communists, many of them, while it is arguable that none of the women accused at Salem was really a witch. But sometimes witch hunts take on a life of their own.

So, consider Miller’s account of the Crucible. Jealousy within a farmstead led to accusations of witchcraft. A specialist is brought in and in a series of errors and compromise, people are hanged. This was said to be similar to the late unlamented Joseph McCarthy’s communist trials.

The reality is more telling.

An account of witchcraft was reported and a judge was summoned. Affected people had been dancing in the forest together. In 1478, the Spanish Inquisition had begun, initially into backsliding of Muslim or Jewish converts to Christianity. People like Christopher Columbus escaped their murderous practice. A practice of witch burning began to take shape in Europe and the colonies. Today, we are confident that witchcraft was not real. In Salem, in 1692, a mere fifty years after George Spencer was executed for fathering piglets, mere accusations were not enough to execute someone.

The tests employed by inquisition were not perfect. Witnesses were required. Facts had to be established. In the Connecticut case of Spencer, an injustice occurred after piglets were born resembling Spencer. He was promised clemency if he confessed. He confessed. Then he was told God would forgive him after he was executed. He recanted his confession. The existence of the piglets were considered witnesses, and the Sow was put to the sword. Modern science assures us that George had not fathered the piglets, but the tests applied did not, and Spencer was not liked.

In Salem, there were tests too. One test had a dog drinking the urine of one of the girls affected. The dog was affected too and began biting rocks and snarling and had to be put down. It is doubtful, but not certain to modern scientists the dog had caught COVID. But, the testimony of affected females with the dog test was damning. Rather than the judges wanting to kill, as Miller writes, the judges had no choice.

Miller got his Salem account wrong. But was he wrong about McCarthy? It is worth noting that McCarthy did identify communists. Maybe Nixon’s prosecution was better, but McCarthy was also aiming at politicising the trials, and we now know significant Democrat figures of the day were ensnared. Again, Miller was wrong to suggest modern communists did not exist and only by chasing modern ‘witches’ were people unfairly found guilty.

One explanation for Salem and a few other witch trials is ergot poisoning. The behaviour of the dog suggests something similar. The kidneys would not have filtered it out and the dog would have been affected by it.

So how do schools present these topics today? Are students aware of these details? Or is Miller’s presentation of a world where Democrats are unfairly called out by Republicans, jealous of their popularity, more prevalent?

But what of the French Village, post WW2? It may have been affected wheat in poorly baked bread. Or, it may have been an experiment by a Paperclip CIA scientist into the effects of LSD in an unsanctified experiment that went wrong. And, maybe, that scientist suicided soon after. But, that is a story for another time.
https://x.com/ddball67/status/1864184592338755940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1864184592338755940%7Ctwgr%5E022938824713db2eb1c29300967c3338fbe0ed3d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpublish.twitter.com%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fddball67%2Fstatus%2F1864184592338755940

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November 27, 2022
Jingle Bell Rock

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin' up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air

What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh

Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell rock

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bell chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air

What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh

Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle...

00:02:04
September 01, 2021
Intro to Locals for the Conservative Voice

David Daniel Ball calls himself the Conservative Voice.

I'm a teacher with three decades experience teaching math to high school kids.I also work with first graders and kids in between first grade and high school. I know the legends of why Hypatia's dad is remembered through his contribution to Math theory. And I know the legend of why followers of Godel had thought he had disproved God's existence.

I'm not a preacher, but I am a Christian who has written over 28 books all of which include some reference to my faith. Twelve blog books on world history and current affairs, detailing world events , births and marriages on each day of the year, organised by month. Twelve books on the background to and history of Bible Quotes. One Bible quote per day for a year. An intro to a science fiction series I'm planning, post apocalyptic cyber punk. An autobiography with short story collections.

I'm known in Australia for my failure as a whistleblower over the negligence death of a school boy. ...

00:01:50
September 11, 2025
Charlie Kirk blues

"Take up the truth, y’all, let your voice be heard, Stand tall for freedom, spread Kirk’s fearless word. Face the storm with courage, don’t you ever bend, Speak the facts, keep fightin’, till the world’s on the mend."

https://suno.com/s/YNGTe539O3rdixRF
(Verse 1)
I was born in the heartland, where the prairies meet the sky,
With a fire in my soul, and a truth that won’t die.
Loved my God up above, with a faith strong and true,
My wife and my children, they’re my anchor, my crew.
(Chorus)
Oh, Charlie Kirk, singin’ the blues,
Fightin’ for freedom, with nothin’ to lose.
In the halls of the angry, where the shouts never end,
I stood with my facts, and I’d do it again.
(Verse 2)
I walked them college roads, where the crowds would scream and yell,
Debatin’ in the fire, where the strident censors dwell.
With a table and a sign, I’d call ‘em out to fight,
Used facts and steady reason, to cut through the dark of night.
(Chorus)
Oh, Charlie Kirk, singin’ the blues,
Fightin’ for freedom, with nothin’ to lose.
Against the mob’s ...

September 05, 2025
Great commission blues

(Outro - Spoken or sung softly over a fading guitar riff)
"Now listen, friend, these hard times ain't the end,
Jesus got all authority, he’s callin’ you to mend.
Go out, share his love, lift a soul from the dust,
Make disciples, spread the word, in his promise we trust."
Like, share and, leave a comment. I read all comments

(Verse 1 - Spoken intro like an old field holler, then into 12-bar blues)
Oh Lord, in these hard times, dust blowin' 'cross the plain,
I hear the Master's voice callin' through the pourin' rain.
He say, "All authority in heaven and earth is mine,"
Yeah, all that power given to me, gonna ease your troubled mind.
(Chorus - AAB pattern)
Go and make disciples, from the city to the shore,
Go and make disciples, from the city to the shore,
Baptize 'em in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit evermore.
(Verse 2)
Brother lost his job, sister cryin' in the night,
Ain't no bread on the table, future out of sight.
But Jesus say, "Teach 'em all I ...

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August 22, 2025
Ode to resolve, in style of Psalm

Do you agree with France, UK and, Australia that the Iranian planned invasion of Israel by Hamas, siezing hostages and killing and raping innocent civilians, is worthy of statehood? Israel has for over seventy years offered peace, even offering land for security. But, now, Israel is resolved to provide security, and police, Gaza, ensuring Hamas has no role.
Make a song in ancient Jewish tradition of their Gaza objective. Include how they repeatedly offered peace to Hamas, but were spurned. Trump warned Hamas of what would happen if they failed to return the hostages. They refused. Include how UN and Europe have emboldened Hamas to not return the hostages. Include how Hamas has deliberately starved her own people to blame Israel.
Ode to Resolve: A Lament in the Style of Ancient Psalms
(In the tradition of biblical Hebrew poetry, such as the Psalms of David or the Song of Moses, this song employs parallelism, rhythmic repetition, and themes of divine justice, oppressed people, and unyielding foes. It is structured with verses (stanzas) and a...

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Ballad of Jampijinpa: A Warlpiri Dreamtime Bambi in the Tanami Desert
improved marketing on Rumble
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Journey to the Tanami Desert with the Ballad of Jampijinpa, a Warlpiri Jukurrpa retelling of Bambi. Follow Jampijinpa, a young red kangaroo, as he learns the sacred laws of his Country from Napangardi, faces dangers like the machine’s shadow, and rises as a leader under the Seven Sisters’ stars. This Dreamtime story celebrates Warlpiri culture, resilience, and connection to the land. Comment your favorite Indigenous story below! Subscribe for more Warlpiri tales and join my Locals for exclusive Jukurrpa insights.
The story of Bambi is, for many, their first encounter with profound loss. Writing this story in Warlpiri Dreamtime, Tanami Desert context. Loss is part of life, yet life goes on. But, a good life, serving the community is also important. How do Indigenous stories like Jampijinpa’s inspire you?
 
Notes on the Adaptation: Setting and Characters: The Tanami Desert replaces the forest, with native animals (red kangaroo, dingo, mallee fowl, perentie) as characters, reflecting the local ecology. Warlpiri skin names (Jampijinpa, Napangardi, etc.) root the characters in kinship systems, central to Warlpiri identity. Jukurrpa: The Dreamtime frames the story as a sacred narrative, where loss and growth are part of the land’s law. The “shadow” (a machine) nods to modern intrusions like mining, a real threat in the Tanami, but keeps the story timeless. Themes: Bambi’s coming-of-age becomes a journey of learning country and law, emphasizing Warlpiri values of responsibility and connection. The mother’s death and the fire echo Bambi’s trials but are grounded in desert realities. Cultural Respect: I avoided inventing sacred details or mimicking restricted Warlpiri stories, focusing on universal elements (land, kinship, survival) informed by public Warlpiri narratives, like those shared in art or ethnographies.
 
The Ballad of Jampijinpa In Tanami’s heart where the spinifex sways, ‘Neath the Jukurrpa’s first starlit blaze, The ancestors carved from the red desert’s hand, Young Jampijinpa, to guard sacred land.
Chorus: Oh, Jampijinpa, with bounds swift and free, Carry the law of your country’s decree. Through sand and through sorrow, your spirit will roam, In the Tanami’s dreaming, you’ll always find home.
Napangardi taught him the desert’s old ways, Where soakages shimmer through blistering days. The bilby’s soft tracks led to yams in the ground, And the wind whispered tales when no rain could be found. With Jangala, dingo, he leaped o’er the plain, While Nungarrayi tidied the earth’s ancient pain. The oaks sang of patience, the elders stood near, Their ochre-lit eyes guiding young kangaroo’s fear. But dawn brought a shadow, a roar cold as stone, A machine’s cruel hunger tore flesh from the bone. Napangardi fell, her spirit took flight, To the ancestors’ campfire in the starwoven night.
Chorus: Oh, Jampijinpa, with bounds swift and free, Carry the law of your country’s decree. Through sand and through sorrow, your spirit will roam, In the Tanami’s dreaming, you’ll always find home.
Alone, he wandered, his heart like a stone, The sand stung his eyes, and the silence did moan. But Japangardi rose, scales gleaming bright, “You’re never lost, son, in the Jukurrpa’s light.” The bilby taught digging, the oak whispered peace, Nungarrayi scratched paths where the stories increase. Jangala’s yips brought a laugh to the blaze, And Jampijinpa grew strong through the desert’s hard days. Then Nakamarra, with dawn in her gaze, Danced by his side through the sandhills’ soft maze. But fire returned, born of shadow’s old sin, Yet Jampijinpa led kin to the soakage within.
Chorus: Oh, Jampijinpa, with bounds swift and free, Carry the law of your country’s decree. Through sand and through sorrow, your spirit will roam, In the Tanami’s dreaming, you’ll always find home.
Atop the red dune, his shadow stretched far, A keeper of law ‘neath the desert’s bright star. The elders now sing from their camp in the sky, And Jampijinpa’s tracks never fade, never die.
Final Chorus: Oh, Jampijinpa, your story’s been spun, A thread in the Jukurrpa, forever begun. The Tanami dreams, and its stars softly call, For the kangaroo’s heart that will never grow small.
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