The International Gothic Association

Yes, there is an International Gothic Association! It's an academic society for the study of everything Gothic with a peer-reviewed journal Gothic Studies. According to their website:

The International Gothic Association unites teachers, scholars, students, artists, writers and performers from around the world who are interested in any aspect of gothic culture: fiction, drama, poetry, art, film, music, architecture, popular culture and technology. It promotes the study and dissemination of information on gothic culture from the mid eighteenth century to the contemporary moment. The only association of its kind, the IGA is the academic centre for people interested in an analysis of the gothic.

Hekatean Curse Tablets

Black Magic Revealed in Two Ancient Curses

Owen Jarus, LiveScience Contributor

Date: 22 May 2012

At a time when black magic was relatively common, two curses involving snakes were cast, one targeting a senator and the other an animal doctor, says a Spanish researcher who has just deciphered the 1,600-year-old curses. Both curses feature a depiction of a deity, possibly the Greek goddess Hekate, with serpents coming out of her hair, possibly meant to strike at the victims. Both curses contain Greek invocations similar to examples known to call upon Hekate.

Read the story at http://www.livescience.com/20483-black-magic-ancient-curses.html

Vampire Autopsies

What happens when you cut open a vampire? Read this analysis of the 18th century vampire epidemic and the medical experts who examined the undead corpses in the Fortean Times, issue 288 (Special, 2012). Visit: Fortean Times

For back issues of Fortean Times call +44 (0)844 844 0049

Obama Will Lose, Says Mexico's Chief Witch

The Brujo Mayor - Supreme Sorcerer, Witch-in-Chief, or Grand Wizard as the BBC likes to call him - of Catemac in southern Mexico has made public his New Year predictions. Top of the list: Obama will lose the 2012 elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Mexico City, Brujo Mayor Antonio Vazquez revealled that Obama was finished. Vazquez was quoted as saying, "I feel Obama will lose. They will attack him a lot. The Republicans have all the money in the United States and so they are putting a lot of pressure on him to make mistakes". An unnamed source added, "Barack bin Obamaladen is going to fall on his Kentucky Fried ass when the Republicans start throwing down the banana skins. I've seen it in the tea leaves."

Using Tarot cards and astrology, Vazquez has been making annual predictions for the last 25 years with some surprising successes. Claiming an 80 per cent success rate, Valequez correctly predicted the Euro crisis. But upset music fans when the predicted death of tween squeaker Britney Spears failed to occur.

Also coming up for 2012: Syria will be invaded; and two more South American leaders will succumb to witchcraft-induced cancer.

"I see more problems with Syria than Iraq and Korea," said the Mighty Magician, "Syria is against the Islamic world and against Europe and the United States. There could be an invasion there or more deaths and deaths and deaths."

Lots of deaths, then, but the good news is that he has not mentioned the end of the world yet.

Source: 'Mexico's grand warlock predicts Obama will lose,' BBC News, 4 January 2012, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16405116

Coming up next: do-it-yourself Grand Wizardry. Let's pull out the pack of Arcana and start dealing the future.