108 Stars of Destiny by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
The concept is a strong part of Water Margin.
The very first chapter opens with Grand Commander Hou disrespecting spirits by opening up a sealed tomb and unintentionally releasing 108 demons who presumably reincarnate as humans, a backstory to the events that follow years later.
This is well shown in the Japanese The Water Margin, but is skipped in the Chinese The Water Margin unfortunately.
The concept is also central to the Suikoden video game.
Actually, now that Ciro Santilli thinks about it, these were already likely meant as a "collectible" element by the author of the original book, as is strongly suggested by all the little illustrations of each character present on the Wikipedia page. Just like e.g. Catholic saints. It's Pokemon, but 2000 years earlier.
Ciro would notably feel many years later, that as he met random people online who were interested in improving eduction, or was otherwise networking to reach his goals, as if he were actually building up his 108 stars of destiny.
A central part, and perhaps the most interesting part of the novel, is how each character has been motivated by injustice to join the rebellion. This reminds Ciro of Final Fantasy VI
Monotreme by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
The weirdest mammal clade: they lay fucking eggs. Only 5 known species alive as of 2020.
Eggs are basal: they simply didn't evolve out of what other reptiles do. From which we conclude that milk came before eggs stopped.
So this is the most basal subclade of mammals.
Etymology: means "single hole" in Greek, because like other reptiles it has a single hole for shit, pee and fucking: the cloaca.
Jundiaí by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
Ciro Santilli lived there from 1995 to 1997.
Anywhere north, including NE and NW: fenlands, i.e. marshes. Quite a few quarries as well. Extremely flat, very uniform, towns often have to be on top of small hills to escape the incessant flooding. Norfolk Coast AONB is beautiful if you take a train ride first, the beaches are very wide and many of them have few people if you avoid a few very busy spots.
East and SE: rolling hills towards Suffolk and the coast. Beautiful county, both Dedham Vale AONB and Suffolk Coast AONB.
South: first one of the hilliest nearby areas around Elmdon and Arkesden, then gently going down to the lush Lee River valley.
Southwest: larger and larger cities as you move towards London. From a train starting point, you can reach the Northen Chilterns, for some serious hills.
West: mostly flat farmland until you hit the River Great Ousse.
Minnesota by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
Video 1.
How To Talk Minnesotan by PBS (1993)
Source.
Beeching cuts by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
A disaster. More cars and less trains...
Bibliograpy:
  • Losing Track by Channel 4 (1984), especially episode 5
  • www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/mar/02/beeching-wrong-about-britains-railways
    Today the makeup of UK transport looks very different from the one envisaged by Dr Beeching. Rail passenger figures have almost doubled over the past 10 years; commuter trains are crammed; young people are deserting the car for the train; and Britain's railway bosses are struggling to meet soaring demands for seats. The legacy of Beeching - dug-up lines, sold-off track beds and demolished bridges - has only hindered plans to revitalise the network, revealing the dangers of having a single, inflexible vision when planning infrastructure.
    "The crucial lesson to take from the Beeching anniversary is that you have to be flexible when planning transport infrastructure. Beeching was not," says Colin Divall, professor of rail history at York University. "Yes, many loss-making lines did need closing down, but nowhere near the number earmarked by Beeching, as we can now see with terrible hindsight."
Shandong by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
Literally: East of the Mountain.
Thali by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
Indian vegetarian thali is the best thing ever! The Southern version in particular. Also do watch a video on how to eat it.
A good place to have it abroad is Saravana Bhavan. The founder killed a dude to marry his wife, but failed and was sentenced to life prison. But he died in 2019 so we're all fine eating there now.
Figure 1. Source. This Wikipedia image of Thali is fundamentally wrong: you have to have a banana leaf on the bottom of the tray!
Tael by Ciro Santilli 37 Updated 2025-07-16
Notably used for measuring gold and silver as a form of Chinese currency.

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