One of the first famous historical serial killers was Jack the Ripper.

Jack had the bad habit of ending the lives of young prostitutes on the streets of London. Prostitutes have been the go-to choice of murder victim ever since biblical days. The profession of night walker carries with it the inherit risk of danger, and people aren't particularly surprised when another lady of the night is put to rest. But Jack didn't just kill his ladies, he disemboweled them, surgically. he even skillfully removed their uterus's. Not only fascinating, but significant. That these women were killed by a man with the knowledge of surgery, and that there were multiple victims, added up to more than murder, it added up to evil. And for these reasons...

The knowledge of surgery suggested a liberated, educated, high society man. A doctor. Someone who had been through college, probably had excelled, and was most likely well respected among the community. Society's upper crust do not MURDER people. Murder is the act of the common, the base, the primal, those who work the docks and drink to much. The young poor man who may fly into a fit of jealous rage could murder, or the beggar who can't live without the barrister's wallet. But why would an upper class man need to vent such anger? It wasn't natural.

And then there were the repititions. If he had killed one woman, it could have been said to be a brief loss of character, a sudden fear, a sudden anger or panic. A loss of wits. But the planned and calculated way in which victim after victim was slaughtered proves that Jack had bearing of his soul. He had full realizations of the act he wanted to commit, and what's more, he didn't even need a reason.

The lack of a simple, primal, urgent reason. And the planned and calculated repitition is what really frightened people, it's what sank the act of murder beyond human (for murder is a very human act) and became the workings of the unnatural, of the evil.

Tired of serial killers yet? Get yourself some vitamins. More specifically, how to deal with stress and damage control are a couple places you can go if you're looking for vitamin information or if you want to buy vitamin supplements.

I recently watched Mr. Brooks on DVD and was truly impressed. Kevin Costner plays a sociopathic serial killer, who must shed a neophyte voyeur trying to accompany him for his kills. He must also deal with the balls-hard cop played by Demi Moore, and clumsy serial killing daughter played by some cute, bland actress. The film is wicked, and cool, and evil, a real wonder.

Kevin Costner is at the top of the game, but there is one unfortunate aspect of the movie. The style of killings is boring. Kevin shoots his victims in the head then places the victims' thumb prints on a piece of furniture. The cover up is detailed, meticulous, and fascinating, but the killings just aren't very creative.

Nevertheless, I was drawn to the world of murdering and that is why I started this blog.

I don't have any real desire to kill a person, or even see a person dead for that matter. But I do relish in creative homicide. So once a month or so, I'll post a little tidbit about serial killers, either historical or fictitious, or perhaps just ponder over various ways to kill. Yes, this may be morbid, but know that it's more of an entertainment, like reading Sartre or the Marquie de Sade, rather than promoting homicide.