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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>William Flynn Wallace<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [ExI] CRACKPOTS (was electoral college)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>Hope you don't mind my starting at the top</span>…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Nah, we were strict on the protocol of not doing that in the long agos, but I never saw the harm in it, so I never enforced it. Rules need justification and periodic rejustification. Laws should come with expiration/renewal dates.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>Just a few thousand years ago, if Frazer is correct, we had no religions - just magic (totally different as he defined them).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Nah, I disagree. Some form of religion, magic, superstition goes back to way before a few kyrs I would suppose. Even dogs have a kind of religion sorta. They worship us, they try to do magic incantations by going thru some kinds of motions we like, and thus influence us to help them. We might see that as an incantation or prayer. Hey, it works. We feed them, we house them, we…take them to the vet (see there, dog hell exists too.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>What an incredible mess we have made of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'> So we used to be very homogeneous and now we are about as diverse as we could get.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>These two comments are contradictory. If diversity is good, then we have fixed an incredible mess the world used to be in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>I tend to see it that way, for if everyone has a different religion, then any particular religion is less dangerous than it would otherwise be. Morality would be loose but within reasonable legal guidelines (no letting your goat go out and steal cars, etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>Now we have thousands of religions (see Oh Gods, from Atlantic Monthly a while back) and two new ones every day</span>…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>There ya go, solving problems, two at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>"Those folks over there, with their different religion, food, dance, etc. They are the causes of our problems and we need to wipe them out, get their stuff and their women."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>See how far we have come? Now we make our own stuff, and their women come over to us willingly and eagerly if our stuff is sufficiently cool and advanced. Such a deal!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>FYI, goats and other animals have been brought to courts of law - been found not guilty, been found guilty. In France!! I wonder if all of this is just excuses to kill something and eat it</span>…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ja perhaps. I would still love to catch either of the Nigerian bastards who really did steal the car, put him in the tank, take the goat back to whoever they stole her from (who you know wouldn’t say anything for fear he would be accused of stealing the car) then when he finds her back, he still wouldn’t say anything because good chance the Nigerian goat farmer is also superstitious and isn’t entirely sure she didn’t do it. He has seen her eyeballing his car and vaguely suspects she is going to sneak out and go for a joy ride.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'>Is this the modern world? Yeah, in some places. Many have gone to the Moon and many wear bones in their noses. LOL</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>It surprises me how many American young people are trending back toward wearing a modern metal equivalent of a nose-bone.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>>…<span style='color:black'> You gotta admit it's entertaining. </span>b<span style='color:black'>ill w<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Oh how I do. I really do: I laugh so hard at us. We humans are so crazy, dogs must be puzzled as all get out. Maybe that’s why they do that sideways head thing. They are thinking: whaaaat in the human-damn hellllllll????<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>In our modern world we have all this leisure time, and all this access to hilarious news about goats stealing cars and the inherent goofiness of a world in which modern science and tech exists alongside ancient witchcraft, sheesh is it any wonder I sit around plotting how to play gags on the superstitious goofballs? Ethics schmethics, the laughs we could get out of it would more than compensate for a guilty conscience, I would laugh my way thru my penance.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>spike<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Mon, Aug 20, 2018 at 11:56 AM, <<a href="mailto:spike@rainier66.com" target="_blank">spike@rainier66.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b>From:</b> extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org" target="_blank">extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>William Flynn Wallace<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [ExI] CRACKPOTS (was electoral college)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>>…<span style='color:black'>John, if you want spiritualism and witchcraft explained</span>…<span style='color:black'> The only evidence here was of the beliefs themselves. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>>…<span style='color:black'>Evidence has been sought </span>…<span style='color:black'> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>HAH! Unbeliever! Here’s yer evidence:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/4325377/Nigerian-police-hold-magic-goat-over-attempted-car-theft.html" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/4325377/Nigerian-police-hold-magic-goat-over-attempted-car-theft.html</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>>…Hasn't been found and won't be, I say… bill w</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Oh ye of little faith.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>You just wait pal, that goat might confess before it’s over.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>{8^D<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>Oh man, wouldn’t it be cool, we could play some terrific gags. We get the cell keys, somehow distract the constables, sneak in there with an actual (human) car thief who is under heavy sedation, doesn’t know what’s going on, switch them, get on out of the police station undetected with the goat, watch what happens next morning at breakfast after the thief sobers up. They would be talking about a car theft, which he knows he really did, but would be unable to explain how he turned himself into a goat and how the spell wore off. Any skeptical locals would have their faith reinforced. Oh that would be a total hoot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:#888888'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='color:#888888'>spike<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>_______________________________________________<br>extropy-chat mailing list<br><a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a><br><a href="http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat" target="_blank">http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat</a><o:p></o:p></p></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>