The idea of witchcraft is hardly new, but it has taken on new life recently partly because of a rapid growth in evangelical Christianity. Campaigners against the practice say around 15,000 children have been accused in two of Nigeria's 36 states over the past decade and around 1,000 have been murdered. In the past month alone, three Nigerian children accused of witchcraft were killed and another three were set on fire.

posted by orthogonality on Oct 17, 2009 - 67 comments

Early in July of 1895, a grand jury convened and returned an indictment against Michael Cleary of Ballyvadlea, Co. Tipperary, for the murder of his wife, Bridget. Bridget Cleary had been set on fire and burned to death in the hearth of the Cleary house, in front of family and friends, because Michael Cleary said she was a fairy changeling, and not his wife at all. That night, he sat for hours near a Kylenagranagh cairn with a silver knife, insisting the true Bridget would soon ride past on a white horse, and he could cut her bonds and set her free. [more inside]
posted by Countess Elena on Jul 1, 2008 - 22 comments

Paul David Addis has been arrested once again. You may remember him as the man that set The Man on fire 4 days early. This time he went after Grace Cathedral. This is the second SF church to be hit by attempted/successful arson in the past week.
posted by drstein on Oct 29, 2007 - 42 comments

It's a sad old story but the reading of literature continues to decline. Prospero's Books - a Kansas-city used bookstore - is so desperate to thin out its collection it has started to burn books. Co-owner Tom Wayne says he is unable to sell many of his thousands of books, or even to give them away to libraries and thrift stores, so he started a pyre in protest.
posted by stbalbach on May 29, 2007 - 66 comments

Free piano, slight fire damage.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Aug 13, 2006 - 53 comments

God forgives Whippers. If you burn the flag, it is Jerry Falwell's obligation to whip you. In fact, he believes that the Lord will forgive him if he does so. (.wmv video link)
posted by Hands of Manos on Oct 13, 2005 - 58 comments

Got a message to the receiver, hope for an answer someday. Watch real time responses to the bombing through a multitude of blogs. First link sorted by tube station.
posted by klangklangston on Jul 7, 2005 - 2 comments

US House passes flag-burning ban If this makes it past the Senate, then I will finally have irrefutable proof that the majority of both houses of Congress are braindead zombies.
posted by Chasuk on Jun 23, 2005 - 80 comments

It took nearly four months, but to the relief of neighbors miles around, the 2,000 ton burning manure pile in Nebraska has been extinguished.
posted by tsarfan on Feb 23, 2005 - 34 comments

Dear Dan, I am writing this memo to explain what happened to the case our NeXTCube Computer, Serial Number AA001032....
posted by casarkos on Jan 11, 2005 - 20 comments

Feds rule that DVD X Copy is now illegal. What will become of other DVD burning software? The MPAA considers a major victory, but are the people who may use it legitimately getting the shaft, or will we see an increase in recovery outfits?
posted by JakeEXTREME on Feb 22, 2004 - 19 comments

NeXTCube going up in flames. A photo shoot from 1993 that mirrored the companies history or just really cool. Too bad there is only one picture.
posted by riffola on Oct 15, 2002 - 12 comments

Down-to-Wire Deal Heads Off Book Burn
As a follow up on This Thread, Victor Kamkin Inc., the Rockville bookstore that became a mecca for those in search of materials on the Soviet Union during the Cold War, got a three-week reprieve so the Library of Congress can look through the bookseller's 1 million-piece collection to determine what should be saved.
posted by Blake on Mar 17, 2002 - 0 comments

The Burning of the Books Maybe it's only some primitive communications on paper, but still it's a shame.
posted by phartizan on Mar 9, 2002 - 16 comments

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!! A bit of a repeat, but absolutely justified
posted by magullo on Jan 18, 2002 - 19 comments