The news that Princeton's infamous ESP research lab is soon to close (link) is both heartening and a little disappointing. On one hand, if there's anything at all to ESP, then skeptics should have no objection to private donations funding some bonafide scientific research into it – no harm done except for a hint of legitimacy. On the other hand, this lab was a black bruise for Princeton and its "findings" were routinely debunked, and a facility investigating exceptional claims must have exceptional adherence to scientific standards. Good riddance.

All that said, there's still plenty of stupid in the world. Ethiopia is about to celebrate their millenium amid celebrations about the symbolic dawn of a new morning in a country that needs to move on from its past. (link) You'd think that after all of the doomsday predictions about our own year 2000 failed to come true, nobody in Ethiopia would make the same mistake, but nah.

"When everyone else celebrated their millennium, they said all sorts of things were going to happen, but nothing happened," Addis Ababa-based film director Tatek Tadesse said.

"Now all the prophecies they made about 2000 will happen this time round on the true millennium. It will be a new age for Ethiopia," said Tatek who is putting the final touches to a film inspired by the historic event.
That's logic in action, folks. I can't wait until the doomsday predictions about our December 2012 fail to come true and Ethopian doomsayers offer that as proof that the world will end in their December 2012.


Two Replies to Shoulda Seen It Coming

Kris Weberg | February 20, 2007
Pretty much every major calendar change in human history has provoked crazy millenarian thinking; it may just be somethign hardwired into our societies or our brains.

Amy Austin | February 21, 2007
Yeah... fortunately for me, my Y2K compliance allowed me to simply recognize that, all other things being pretty much equal, I was only going to keep advancing one more year in age, one day at a time, just as I always have.

Now, Y3K on the other hand... well... let's just say that I'm not at all prepared to deal with *that* fiasco -- but I'm fairly confident that there will be plenty of time to work out the kinks.


Logical Operator

The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »

This is Me Getting On With My Life

Any advice for a newly single guy? After five months, Denise and I are no longer seeing each other. I won't get into the causes out of respect for her point of view; let's just say she and I each wanted the other to behave differently and it wasn't going to happen. Go »

Spiders on Drugs

Thanks, Aaron. (link) Go »

Logic Rules

(link) Thanks, John. Go »

Mac Killed My Inner Child

(link) nsfw Go »

February 10-16

I don't really blog much about my day-to-day existence because it feels too mundane. But life is made up of those little days, and we don't get an accurate picture of each other's lives if we only discuss the big events. Here's a snapshot of my life last week. Go »

She Can Really Whip a Donkey's Ass with a Belt

I hate the Black-Eyed Peas. You hate the Black-Eyed Peas. But Alanis Morissette really hates the Black-Eyed Peas. Go »