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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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Nicola Sturgeon has issued a posthumous apology to people persecuted as witches in Scotland. Naturally enough I thought this was to those families in Orkney in 1991 who had suffered their kids being removed, after Social Services wrongfully accussed the parents of Satanic abuse. But no, I had it wrong. Nicola had decided to apologise to women who suffered as a result of breaking the Witchcraft Act between 1563 and 1736. Nicola puts it down to misogyny. But was it?
Janet Horne (died 1727) was the last person to be executed legally for witchcraft in the British Isles.[1]
Horne and her daughter were arrested in Dornoch in Sutherland and imprisoned on the accusations of her neighbours. Horne was showing signs of senility, and her daughter had a deformity of her hands and feet. The neighbours accused Horne of having used her daughter as a pony to ride to the Devil, where she had her shod by him. The trial was conducted very quickly; the sheriff had judged both guilty and sentenced them to be burned at the stake. The daughter managed to escape, but Janet was stripped, smeared with tar, paraded through the town on a barrel and burned alive. Nine years after her death the witchcraft acts were repealed in Scotland.
Janet (or Jenny) Horne was also a generic name for witches in the north of Scotland at the time and this makes it difficult to determine what the real name of this woman may have been.[2] Contemporary writers may have called her 'Janet Horne' simply because her real name was unknown or because the name was reported as 'Janet Horne' and they were unaware that this was a generic name. Some sources give the date of the Dornoch execution as June 1722.[3] |
It seems more about persecuting those who are not "pure" "normal" "Christian" to Wiley, rather than misogyny?
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Or the story itself is bogus. That telling detail about her name tells all. My own position, as laid out in Megalithic Empire, is that witches are an entirely real phenomenon. Old single (mainly) women had no hope of surviving unless they could scare the neighbours into keeping them sweet. Like begging, it's just a job.
My own social heart goes out to the Cleveland bottom-botherers (I was a friend of a friend of one) though they didn't attend covens. They didn't do it all on their own. I presume the adults were soon out of prison and their children out of care but there never was much of a follow-up because of that dreadful Justice Whatsit-Schloss woman.
It did happen though after an outbreak of satanism had set the nation's teeth on edge. In (I seem to remember) the Midlands after some American harpie appeared on Panorama or somesuch. There's a lot of it about but with Satan on their side we've never been able to catch them. Or maybe dogging took over. There's a lot of that about too but I'm damned if I can find any of it round my way.
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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Putin has identified that Western dominance is ending, he is so right. The Chinese are overtaking us mainly because we keep on fighting crap expensive old style military wars like Ukraine, (much favoured in the last couple of centuries during the older era of a growing European working class) and ridiculous newer culture wars (much favoured in the era of the growing United States and European middle class), whilst they the Chinese, crack on with their economic miracle aided by a army of useful western intellectual idiots and a grateful, for now, third world.
We are most probably doomed, but thanks Vladimir for bringing this to our attention. You have again demonstrated the futility of launching a war in Europe, and enabled us to start the process of clearing out your backers and useful idiots.
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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| “Regardless of what you think about this case… the real question is, should black men be walked into jail for a Class 4 felony? Shame on you if you think they should, that’s a disgrace,” |
I actually don't think it should be dependent on the defendant's sex, colour, orientation. It's the seriousness of the crime, and the remorse shown etc.
Examples of Class 4 felony (varies by state)
Aggravated assault;
Stalking;
Manslaughter;
Possession of illegal drugs;
Extortion;
Vehicular homicide;
Arson;
Sexual assault;
Felony DUI;
Burglary;
Robbery;
Perjury; and/or
Dog fighting or other animal-related crimes.
We are doomed. Putin is right.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-60775521
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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| Putin has identified that Western dominance is ending, he is so right. The Chinese are overtaking us mainly because we keep on fighting crap expensive old style military wars like Ukraine |
Though not as many as Red China who have a) fought wars against the Americans, the Russians, the Indians and the Vietnamese and b) have been spending money on armaments like there's no tomorrow so they can fight anyone who may not want a Chinese tomorrow.
| much favoured in the last couple of centuries during the older era of a growing European working class |
You mean when we were exponentially growing like what China is now?
| and ridiculous newer culture wars (much favoured in the era of the growing United States and European middle class) |
You mean like the Chinese against Uighurs, Hong Kong, the liberal intelligentsia and so forth?
| whilst they the Chinese, crack on with their economic miracle aided by a army of useful western intellectual idiots' and a grateful, for now, third world. |
They learned it from us.
| We are most probably doomed, but thanks Vladimir for bringing this to our attention. You have again demonstrated the futility of launching a war in Europe, and enabled us to start the process of clearing out your backers and useful idiots. |
We are most probably doomed, but thanks Wylie for bringing this to our attention. You have again demonstrated the futility of launching ill-thought out ideas and enabled us to start the process of clearing out our backers and useful idiots.
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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| Mick Harper wrote: | | We are most probably doomed, but thanks Wylie for bringing this to our attention. You have again demonstrated the futility of launching ill-thought out ideas and enabled us to start the process of clearing out our backers and useful idiots. |
It's really not a problem, two swigs of Espresso and there we have it.
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Grant
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The Chinese are less aggressive than white people for biological reasons, probs down to testosterone levels. It’s why the Chinese goal is to live in a large country surrounded by other Chinese people and simply be left alone by the barbarians outside. We have nothing to fear from them.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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| With the UN predicting that 97% of Afghanistanis are in danger of sinking below the poverty line, there was a brief moment of hope for secondary schoolgirls this week until... Kate Adey From Our Own Correspondent BBC R4 |
This just about sums up the bankruptcy of westernism. Let them all starve to death if secondary schoolgirls can't get an education. For what? So they can't not go to university? So they can't not have a job?
Afghanistan for the Afghans, is what I say. For better or worse. I say it because it has been getting steadily worse for Afghans ever since the west (either our model or the Russians' model) has been trying to persuade the Afghans that what they need is what we have to offer. If one day we ever let them choose for themselves, my guess is it will be something like the western model.
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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Well the Chinese would be willing to go in and sort it. Afghanistan just has to offer up its copper and lithium, and sign up to the type of deals other nations do. The Taliban need to start offering security guarantees to those who operate in their country. There will be people who see the opportunities but the Taliban have to offer something in return.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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Yes, I think this is correct. The Chinese might be complete bastards but they are a) efficient bastards and b) non-interfering bastards. Neither of which you can say about westerners (who are not complete bastards).
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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It is truly wonderful watching the left trying to lay a glove on the right without pots calling kettles pots. This is the headline over the main op ed article in today's Guardian
| Betraying old friends, making new enemies: the Tories have lost the plot Andy Beckett |
That should gladden every liberal's heart while they grind away on the Saturday morning Grape Nuts. Go on, Andy, give it to them.`
| Boris Johnson’s government loves to boast. Often it seems to do little else. Talking up its achievements, real or not, gives the impression of momentum where there is more often chaos and indecision – as there was this week, with the government twice changing its position on... |
Have a guess. Ukraine, NHS, energy prices...? | LGBT conversion practices |
That was next on my list. OK, Andy, you've got your subject, sink the fangs in. What's this? He's ditched the LBGT converts and is off for some blue sky maunderings
| One of the government’s more potent claims is that it represents a wider range of Britons than its predecessors. In some ways, this is actually true. Johnson has a bigger majority, drawn from more parts of England and Wales – if not Scotland – than any Tory government since the early 90s. Most strikingly, he has a more multiracial cabinet than any previous prime minister. |
Didn't know. I might vote for them next time. Thanks for the heads up, me old mate, me old mucker.
| In other ways, his government is much less representative, with a huge reliance on support from pensioners and twice the proportion of privately educated cabinet ministers as served under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. |
Unfortunately phrased. Being as how Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were privately educated. Come on, Andy, get a grip now you've got a grip
| Yet there is just enough substance in Johnson’s claim to speak for “the people of this country” to unsettle Labour, with its mainly urban MPs and succession of leaders from north London. A relatively inclusive Conservative government can be presented as a change from the discredited Tory regimes that ran Britain from 2010 to 2019. If enough voters believe in this change, the Conservatives may get re-elected yet again. |
They've certainly got my support. You've really made my mind up for me, Andy. Unless I'm excluded from the Big Tent because...
| So it has been strange in recent weeks to watch the government seemingly happy to alienate so many groups of voters. |
Oh dear, I wonder if they include me. I'll list them to save space
public sector workers
people who followed the lockdown rules
university students
people who export to the EU
Covid shielders
benefits claimants, including pensioners |
Yeah, there's me. Right down the bottom as per usual (both categories). Oh well, back to my usual strategy of lofty disdain. I enjoyed being a Tory for a bit.
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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These Tories can't be trusted, to show their true colours, they are cunningly trying to win by targeting key groups of voters and by not having a Suez, a 3 day week or over 3 million unemployed. Most unfair.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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The weird 'trans' phenomenon continues on its merry way. The story so far: modern techniques and societal values makes it possible for people to switch genders if they really want to (or biologically it makes sense, I'm not much up on the science). I doubt that many people would be other than vaguely sympathetic and/or mildly supportive. The whole thing is, one would think, a not very common affliction and/or a faintly bizarre lifestyle choice.
Not any more. For reasons that I don't really understand, attitudes to 'trans' has become a defining issue for the shrill left. So we get this from the Guardian
| The trans woman cyclist Emily Bridges has broken her silence to attack cycling’s governing body, the UCI, and the media after she was excluded from the women’s section of the British National Omnium Championships on Saturday. |
Not, you may think, terribly important news. You sort of wonder why anyone would bother banning her and move on. Not so fast. It was because of this
| The 21-year-old, who set a national junior men’s record over 25 miles in 2018, had been due to compete against several British Olympians, including Dame Laura Kenny, in her first race in the women’s category. |
This is so ridiculous I don't know where to start. On a purely sporting level it clearly makes a mockery of the event. Either Ms Bridges will win by a country mile or she'll be middle of the pack, but either way it will be a commentary on her hormonal treatment rather than her sporting prowess. But that's not why I'm bringing the news here...
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Wile E. Coyote
In: Arizona
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Not any more. For reasons that I don't really understand, attitudes to 'trans' has become a defining issue for the shrill left. So we get this from the Guardian
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It's not really a left issue at all, many corporations are supportive of LGBT issues. Sainsbury, for example, promotes LGBT week, and contracts with Stonewall to make its workforce more inclusive.
So, the diversity agenda has the support of many of the sponsors of major sports, these firms do not have to be interested in each individual sport, they just want the good PR. By banning Emily cycling is simply denying itself of potential coin. Cycling will soon fold if it wants sponsorship.
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Mick Harper
Site Admin
In: London
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All that may be true. Distressing but true. My point is that Ms Bridges has managed single-handedly to turn an entire sport -- women's road cycling -- into passionate opposers of 'trans'. For why? So somebody can take part in an Omnium. Not just an anybody somebody but a champion male cyclist who has undergone a voluntary procedure.
I'm fine about him/her doing that -- I'm sure the women of road cycling are fine about it -- but to demand to take part in their race after a course of hormone treatment is the absolute height of effrontery. And for the Guardian and no doubt this 'movement' that Wiley talks about to be threatening world war three if her 'right' is denied is the absolute height of political silliness.
Let me repeat: support for libertarian issues should be exercised with caution lest the issue be flushed away with the bathwater of popular anger.
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