The Last Post Game!!!!

[Swatopluk]

But are they drinking tea and is there a connection?
A Chinese one maybe.
There was also proverbially no sex in the Soviet Union and Russians are known as tea drinkers too.

Last _{antiaphrodisiac or stealth contraceptive/abortificient?} Post

[Griffin]

Sounds like pagan libations in disguise 

Or Voodoo?

[Swatopluk]

That would be a different liquid, I believe.
But voodooists* first encountering Christian mass get a bit confused about the content of the chalice too.
Grape juice is sometimes sold as grape blood. An alternative to the blood oranges vegan vampires are said to favor. Don't know what old Bela would have made of that?

Last _{*Or should that be voodooistas since many on the American side of the big pond are Spanish speakers?} Post

[Griffin]

Or perhaps a muti killing.

Last _{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_(murder_victim)} Post

[Swatopluk]

Maybe it was an error to repeal the Witchcraft Acts after WW2.

I wonder, whether there is actually a secret understanding between African "traditional" witch doctors and USian evangelical witch hunters* that practice in Africa since US laws are a bit of a hindrance at home. Both are interested in the commoners living in fear, the former earn in reputation because they are taken seriously by the latter and the latter being able to present actual targets.

*the same that successfully lobby for 'kill the gays' laws in the hope that they will be able to do the same in the US one day.

Last _{monster mutual appreciation league} Post

[Griffin]

Which Acts are Witch Acts, repealed or not? How do they link to Witch Doctors?

Last _{I used to know a White Witch} Post

[Swatopluk]

I hope it wasn't the one from Narnia.

The last English Witchcraft Act was the one from 1735, last applied in 1944, repealed and replaced in 1951 with the replacement being itself repealed in 2008 to harmonize with the EU.

Last _{So, Brexit should have caused the need for another update} Post

[Griffin]

That the Act still existed in 2008 is shocking. Has it ever been used for prosecuting males, or is it entirely misogynistic? Yes, Brexit would seem to imply it should be brought back. Why is it not an election issue?

It may look out of step with the rest of Europe that our Labour Party is likely to be the First Past the Post on July 4th. But in fact the supposedly Socialist party is now right wing. I've already voted (postal vote) so it is of no interest what all the debaters claim they will do. It's all lies anyway. Democracy is dead.

Last _{we know not what we vote for} Post

[Swatopluk]

Over here the Green Party isn't what it was either but at least they now represent a rather middle-of-the-road position (which is NOT what is these days called 'centrist') which makes them the go-to for modestly left liberals. The old 'liberal' FDP has lost its liberal heads (dying of old age) that (or would that be 'who'?) made it attractive and only kept the libertarian body turning it once again into the 'party of the well-to-do' with its main anchor on the right instead of on both sides.

As far as the witchcraft acts go, do not not overlook that there was a radical (but deliberately obscured) shift from punishing 'real' black magic to punishing fraudster(esse)s that only pretend to have magical powers. I guess as a business model 'magic' in traditional guise (including spiritualism and fortune-telling) is still more of a female thing (in the West at least) while male fraudsters are less inclined to pose as wizards but as 'scientific' astrologers and the like. Africa is very different in that regard and to a degree is Russia. I am not familiar enough with the Far East and only get the impression (from popular culture) that demons (male and female) like to pose more as female witches than as male wizards while the 'wizards' tend to come in the shape of clerics/monks taking up the role of exorcist.

Historically Scandinavia was a bit of a special place with bot male and female victims but more or less divided by ethnicity. 'Male witches' were predominantly Sami (in modern terms they were shamans, persecuted because the represented paganism), female ones Norse (the usual European 'witch' variety), Finns being equal opportunity there. One reason was that in Sami culture magic was a pure male domain while in Norse culture magic was seen as a tool of the weak against the strong. A male practicing magic thus showed lack of masculinity, the worst thing possible for a man (at times a man was even legally obligated to challenge anyone to a duel to the death for being called unmanly).

Last _{I somehow doubt that Britain will make magic a major political topic soon. That's more of a US thing.} Post

[Griffin]

I have to confirm no hint of magic in our politics before or after the election. Though it is sorely needed for stuff like making the NHS work again. At present there is also no indication of whether the new Government is just stirring up hot air or might actually do something useful.

It's been an age since I last logged in here. I have just been too busy. Mostly ok busy, but a little too frantic busy too which is absolutely not good. I have only two clients at present and one is fortnightly so this is not why I have been busy. I am not sure how/why I have been doing too much because I can't remember what I have been doing without looking in my diary frequently. My memory is pretty useless now. I can't tell if it is normal aging or dementia. We hope the former. I haven't got to the stage of post-it notes labelling everything - like spoons in this drawer - yet so way to go as they say.

Last_{in fear of Trump} Post

[Swatopluk]

Looks like the GOP tried to go full Reichsparteitag with four originals (and their themes) condensed into a single 4 day event. They just forgot to invite Leni Flutesteel to make the official movie: "Tr(i)ump(h) of the Shrill".

Last _{so bad that sharks in Florida now get tested positive for cocaine} Post

[Griffin]

The so-called Labour Party (for the workers) has taken winter fuel payments away from pensioners. This would never have happened under Corbyn, the last time the party was socialist. Pensioners who fail the means test but only just over the limit will probably die of cold or starvation. Why did I suspect stuff like this would happen? This Government looks to be no different to the Tories, killing people who are useless. Why don't they go the full hog and set up an abattoir for people as they hit retirement age?
What with wars everywhere life is grim although the Olympics does lift the spirits somewhat.

Last _{Let's go for Gold in Killing Off Pensioners} Post

[Swatopluk]

Abattoir? That's for supernumerary babies.
At least I presume the modest-proposaled will go through the service industry these days, while  Ol' John Swift probably assumed home preparation.
For adults it's ubasute (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubasute)
But can everybody afford the necessary trips to Scotland and Wales given England's lack of suitable mountains?

Last _{GoFundMe or state subsidies? Depending on the ruling party, I presume.} Post

[Griffin]

Wiki ubasute "is the subject of legend, but...does not seem ever to have been a common custom."Japan, An Illustrated Encyclopedia, Tokyo: Kodansha, 1993, p. 1121 - EEK!! Who suggested it might be a common custom? Outing the Wiki editor is needed.

Some bits of England have very high hills, like the Lake District. But not enough for a common custom.

More than 2 children and the third, fourth, etc. get no funding. They are considered suitable for starving or freezing to death. Calls to rescind are being ignored.

Last _{worse happening in Palestine} Post

[Swatopluk]

No high cliffs or mountains in the Gaza Strip either (to my knowledge).
But they could follow the practice of Berlin post-1945 to deal with all the rubble.
Our highest mountain (OK, hill with pretensions) since then is not the natural Kreuzberg anymore but the artificial Teufelsberg.

One should also not confuse active senicide (throwing them off the hill) and passive (abandoning in a remote place).

Last _{deliberately missing the point} Post