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News Briefs 22-09-2011

By red pill junkieon

To all Grailers living in Europe: keep an eye on my folks when they stop by to visit your country, will you?

Thanks to Rick & Kat.

Quote of the day:

“A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.”

Albert Einstein

red pill junkie
Agnostic gnostic, walking conundrum & metaphysical oxymoron (with emphasis in the 'moron' part), the mysterious RPJ leaves a double life: By day he serves as Grand Master of the International Sacred Order of Lucha Libre, but at night he pursues his life-long study of everything considered mysterious and/or 'paranormal' --a term he personally detests... When he's not exploring the web looking for his daily fix of Forteana, he can be found blogging, doodling, fooling around and offering his services as news administrator and writer at The Daily Grail. He also regularly participates in other websites and podcasts like Radio Misterioso and Where Did the Road Go? He impatiently awaits for the return of the mothership in Mexico City. absurdbydesign.com
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18 Comments

  1. Bad Archaeology
    Very good article and a justified “rant”!

    A story about clues of “ancient aliens” really has no place on “The History Channel”, this is the preserve for all the fringe shows out there (and there are lots of them!). By airing a show about ancient aliens on The History Channel gives undeserved credibility to this fringe topic. Oh well, economic concerns drive the media. Its what people want to believe and want to watch no matter how many times the proof of ancient aliens have been debunked.

    Its “good TV”! http://www.theonion.com/articles/science-channel-refuses-to-dumb-down-science-any-f,2897/

    Sadly common sense and a balanced view of these fringe topics don’t get the air time they deserve.

    Again, people believe what they want to believe. For example; the moon landing hoaxers. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary that America DID in fact land on the moon, not once but numerous times, there is still a prevailing moon hoax landing belief!

    Don’t even think to get me started on 9/11!!

    Serious face palm!!

    😀

    1. What’s that thingie on your TV?
      What’s that thingie on your TV? Oh, it’s called the channel dial.

      Yeah, they still install those, even in modern HD models 😛

      If there is concern that giving air time to programs like Ancient Aliens will dumb down the public even further, then the problem is already more serious, and it didn’t even start with Ancient Aliens.

      In the end, what did you expect? it’s the logical consequence of topical channels in charge of providing content on a 24/7 basis. Sooner or later, you’re going to run out of things to tell about the war of the Peloponnese 😉

      For the record I’m not a big fan of the series. I did see an entire weekend marathon some time ago, and of the stuff presented I was actually interested with about 20% of it.

      IMO the series would have been better if they had given our friend Philip Coppens more air time than Childress and Tsoukalos 😉

      1. Maybe…
        Perhaps the biggest problem with the History Channel (and bearing in mind that I think it is the biggest pile of arse) is not the topics, since we all like aliens and what not, but that fact that the programs are just pants.

        Sure, to someone who studies history hearing that the Atlantian’s were really behind the American Civil War, or that Mexico was founded by the Frog People must suck just as much as that ridiculous program they did about 2012 where they roped that geologist from Princton into it, filmed him, and then edited him so he looked like a complete idiot, leaving him feeling his only recourse was to rip shreds out of the program on the net, sucked for me.

        I can’t wait to watch their programs on how major historical artists where really robots from the future who in some paradox inspired their own creation – says the man with the funny hair.

        I think RPJ is right though. This maybe reflects a bigger ‘problem’ for our societies. Are we really in danger of losing the sense that hard work and intellectual endeavour has any meaning?

        It has always been cheaper to make money conning people, in any field. Fortunately I don’t know anyone who thinks the History Channel is any good so I don’t think the world is about to collapse because of it, though I have seen serious folk give talks to other serious folk about the dangers to western society if it becomes uncool to be smart.

        (of note though, when I grew up it was nerdy or uncool to be smart, but with an important exception – if you were good at sports and smart that just made you super cool. It’s a funny world.)

        1. History Channel
          Personally I like the History Channel. I for one am able to discern which programs are showing more Academic-oriented content, and which ones are leaning more on the sensationalistic side.

          One thing I would like to see in all topical channels, is a little segment at the end of each program suggesting books to the audience in case they want to learn more about a given subject —and NOT just plugging the books of the people involved in the program, but even a chance to mention other views.

    1. ‘Europe’ I said 😛
      Unfortunately, UK is not in their traveling schedule; which is a shame, really, because there are a myriad places there people like my parents would enjoy visiting.

      They plan to visit Spain (Madrid & Barcelona), France, Germany and some other places in the Balcans, if memory serves me right. They will be away for 40 days! 🙂

      But thank you so much anyway for the kind offer.

      1. Spain…….
        I spent 18 months in Spain, off & on, with the US Navy. I was fortunate to spend time in Seville & Barcelona, and many other places around the Bay of Cadiz. Beautiful country, lovely people, wines, food, etc.

        What I learned, too, was that I hadn’t actually been learning Spanish in school. I had been learning Mexican. Spanish in Spain and Spanish in Mexico are like English in England vs English in the US. Easy enough to understand eachother, but some subtle differences here & there that made you say ?que?

        I hope they have a wonderful time. I know I did. I have often thought about moving to Spain when I retire.

        1. Spanish in Spain
          LOL that’s so true. Often when we rent movies from Spain, we need the subtitles to understand what they are saying! XD

          Thanks for the good wishes. I’m sure they’ll have the time of their lives 🙂

        2. Gwedd –
          My brother has a vineyard in Galicia that he’d like to sell – beautiful scenery and lots of grapes to make good vino! Let me know if you’re interested. It’s not that he doesn’t like Spain, but wants to move to Sweden.

          Regards, Kathrinn

  3. Social Status and Depression
    What a silly article premise … of course poor people are depressed more than rich people and for longer periods of time . . . being poor sucks! The writer of the article must not have ever been poor, for if they had, they would have recognized the blatant grant-grubbing nature of the study right away.

    1. The chicken and the egg

      I agree, without sorting out what came first: whether the social status or the chronic depression, this study kind of confirms the obvious.

      What would be your generall mood if your workplace looked like this

      Compared to this:

      Now, if the study had researched a group of middle-classed Americans who had lost their jobs during the economic crisis, and whether these people managed to get back on their feet or not, that would actually tell us something about the impact of mental problems in relation to social status.

    2. Yup…..
      Absolutely agree. This is the problem with the “publish or perish” mind set. It generates claptrap like this study. It is obvious to the most casual of observers that long-term poverty can lead easily to depression.

  4. J. Edgar a.k.a. Mary J. Edgar {I Remember Hoover!}
    Red Pill,

    The probable reason for not mentioning UFOs in the film is that the FBI objected to it! Eastwood needed some FBI assistance and probably FBI approval to make the film. Mary J. Edgar’s homosexuality is well documented; but, mention of UFOs would make the FBI very uncomfortable.

    Hoover thought that he was the God, Dog spelled backward. He blackmained his way into getting more and more powerful. But, he could never really investigate the Cosa Nostra; because, they were blackmailing him over his homosexuality!:)

    1. Assistance
      That’s an interesting proposition. We know the Air Force and the Military do get involved with the script of the films for which they are asked assistance. It might be the same with other branches of government.

      I still think it more likely that UFOs will not be part of this film because Hollywood likes to keep things easy for the public: if flying saucers get mentioned, then the movie is Sci-Fi. If homosexuality is mentioned, then it’s a drama 😉

      1. Good Point! But,…
        Red Pill,

        All branches of the U.S. Government are very uncomfortable with UFOs. I agree with your drama angle and I’m certain that it makes everyone happy, especially the FBI! Publicly, Hoover denied the existence of UFOs!

  5. More evidence of the robot armageddon
    that robot looked a little…….evil. maybe it’s the eyebrows or maybe he just is jealous of “The Hair” of Tsoukalos 😛

    maybe the hair should hold the flame for the torch, with all the gel it’s bound to make good kindle….

    1. Batteries
      Everybody is thinking robots will enslave us to turn us into batteries a-la Matrix.

      The truth is they will keep us in pens as a supply for their toupees.

      And yes, Tsoukalos will be given the standard of pet. Whereas (bald) skeptics like Randi and Phil Plait, well… robots will still need glue after all 😛

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