Whipping cures depression. ”The whipping therapy becomes much more efficient when a patients receives the punishment from a person of the opposite sex. The effect is astounding: the patient starts seeing only bright colors in the surrounding world, the heartache disappears, although it will take a certain time for the buttocks to heal, of course,” Sergei Speransky told the Izvestia newspaper.
posted by cgs on Oct 25, 2006 - 70 comments

A strange ritual is played out in Choupic, Louisiana on Mardi Gras day. Something similar happens in Prague on Easter Monday too. [via]
posted by tellurian on Mar 2, 2006 - 13 comments

Whip It...Not So Good? Apparently the whip, beloved in movies, games, and other various pursuits, isn't actually that fantastic of a weapon -- at least from a defensive point of view. And that supersonic crack? It ain't the tip. Interesting!
posted by effugas on Jul 12, 2004 - 29 comments