| |
|
12. oktober 2002
|
|
Bad News is Good News for Kooks
"People turn to irrational beliefs in times of uncertainty -- when pressure is on financially for people they're attracted to paranormal and irrational beliefs." (Kevin Christopher in CSICOP to Wired)
11:09:19 PM 
|
|
And the question is...
Is there a connection between the bombings in Helsinki and Bali, on separate sides of the planet? Is somebody trying to convey a message that no place, no person, is safe?
9:34:37 PM
|
|
Paradise Bombed
 Bali, one of the far east's most popular holiday resorts for western tourists, have been rocked by two separate bomb explosions. At least 14 people are killed.
It makes sense, if I can use such a word, for terrorists to attack western tourists close to their own homelands. Indonesian authorites have had their problems with Islamic militants, and these attacks will no doubt be a hard blow to the tourist industry, also undermining the government. Indonesia is the world's most populous Islamic nation.
Update: the death toll is now at 53 dead, and rising. 120+ injured.
Later update: at least 182 killed, and the toll keeps rising. Since Bali is a favourite holiday resort especially for Australians, this blast may well have been aimed at them.
9:27:04 PM
|
|
No Place Safe from Terror
The explosion in a shopping centre in Helsinki that killed seven people and injured around 80 others was caused by a bomb, Finnish authorities now say.
Finland has not experienced anything like this since World War II.
3:31:02 PM
|
|
Bush Joke
President Bush and Colin Powell are sitting in a bar. A guy walks in and asks the barman, "Isn't that Bush and Powell sitting over there?"
The barman says, "Yep, that's them."
So the guy walks over and says, "Wow, this is a real honor. What are you guys doing in here?"
Bush says, "We're planning WW III ".
And the guy says, "Really? What's going to happen?"
Bush says, "Well, we're going to kill 140 million Iraqis this time and one blonde with big tits."
The guy exclaimed, "A blonde with big tits? Why kill a blonde with big tits?"
Bush turns to Powell and says, "See, I told you no one would worry about the 140 million Iraqis!"
12:23:54 PM
|
|
Cold Reading
 Neil Gaiman's blog directed me to an article by actress Kari Coleman on James Randi's skeptic site. She tells a fascinating story about how she learned a bit of tarot, a lot about cold reading, and convinced heaps of people that she was a psychic and could talk to their dead relatives.
I sometimes wish I was unscrupulous enough to make money on people's gullibility. In any case: read this article, and learn how the quacks operate.
1:40:56 AM
|
|
Mixed feelings
Sir Alex Ferguson, the annoyingly successful manager of Manchester United football club, has been accused by a woman over 'indecent assault.' Apparently, when in South Africa, Sir Ferguson 'touched a female on the leg.' Oh golly!
Why I have mixed feelings about this? Well, for one I hate that club intensely and would like nothing better than whatever causes trouble for ManU.
On the other hand, I seriously detest the climate where anything remotely sexual can be brought into the courts system. Call a workmate "baby"? Sexual harassment! Touched a woman at a pub? Obviousy, 'indecent assault.' I am all for good manners, but I think people just have to learn to put up with a bit of annoyance in life without running to the police and courts at the drop of a hat. There are people being killed out there, folks. So, somebody touched your bum? Big deal.
These hysterical sexual harassment laws mainly serve as a very convenient way for a certain type of woman to get into the wallets of rich and famous men. The role of the courts is reduced to being pimps for unscrupulous golddiggers.
12:30:41 AM
|
|
|
© Copyright 2002 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.11.02; 00:16:36.
|
|
|
