While reading medieval annals, I've frequently come across entries uncritically describing weird, unnatural phenomena:

Loch Lebinn turned into blood, so that it became clots of gore like lungs.

or

A shower of honey rained upon the fort of the Laigin. A shower of wheat, furthermore, rained on Othan Becc. Then Niall Condail son of Fergal was born, whence be was called Niall Frossach 'Niall of the Showers'.

or

Three shields were seen as if fighting in the sky, from east to west, like tossing waves, on the tranquil night of the Ascension of the Lord. The first was snowy, the second fiery, the third bloody, which it is thought prefigured three evils to follow: for in the same year herds of cattle throughout Ireland were almost destroyed, not only in Ireland, but indeed throughout Europe. In the next year there was a human plague for three consecutive years. Afterwards came the greatest famine, in which men were reduced to unmentionable foods.

or

A mermaid was cast ashore by the sea in the country of Alba. One hundred and ninety five feet was her length, eighteen feet was the length of her hair, seven feet was the length of the fingers of her hand, seven feet also was the length of her nose; she was whiter than the swan all over.

I guess my question is, how can I interpret entries like these? I've tried looking for literature about weird stuff reported during the medieval period but couldn't find anything. Any sources would be greatly appreciated.

I am aware that most other swords use pommels and/or fullers to bring the centre of mass closer to the handle, is this disregarded in Japanese styled swords or is there some sort of trick involving the hilt to make it handle better?

Did the meso-american's root for the Tikal Jaguars vs the away team?

I can guess he wished for the complete ideological standard, but what were the main differences between that and the political climate of the USSR?

I'm looking for info on Hungary in particular here, but anything on the general procedure of the politburo with regard to the eastern bloc would be good.

So, say I'm Kádár in Hungary, circa 1961. I want to relax press censorship. Do I need to ask Khrushchev? Do I need to ask anyone? How often am I told what to do by the Kremlin? How much room is there to take things my own way?

Thanks in advance :)

What about privateers?

Is it the reason most of the countries are in extreme poverty?

Is it as simple as just ignoring the letter? Or would I need to pay officials off, or go into hiding?

I'm not sure if there is a definite answer to this. Sometimes they are portrayed as friends and allies; other times they are portrayed as having a homosexual relationship. Is there any truth to the second theory? What do we know about their relationship?

Did armies really fight in wide open fields in the middle of no where? How did they agree to meet?

Did they carry alcohol with them while marching out? What about other supplies?

Is it true that most battles were won by waiting for the enemy to run out of food?

Business owners also meaning tradesmen, artisans, etc.

I would like to know when did Australian police forces start carrying firearms. Or were they always armed? If the former, were there any reasons for arming Australian police forces?

For example, with the invention of planes, an entirely new arm of the military was established. How were the ranks worked out? Who decided to use what terms to describe ranks of officers?

In particular I am asking about Commonwealth countries, not the US.

Title says it all.

This may sound like a truly weird question, but I was in China recently and a few guys there told me Kim's recently "executed" girlfriend was apparently not making porno, but making a "classic Korean film" in a era where Korean women revealed both breasts (and nipples).

And apparently this tradition was stopped by the Japanese after they invaded the country (I.E considered indecency.)

Does this sound realistic to anyone? I thought it was really...odd.