Archive
6.5 Earthquake hits North Island…
… John Key blames previous Labour government.
… Paula Bennett blames drunk welfare beneficiaries.
… Ken Ring blames Full Moon heavier than Quarter Moon.
.
.
= fs =
Someone phone Ken Ring on this!
.
I think someone needs to remind our Italian cuzzies that Terrestrial science is not yet capable of predicting earthquakes. That kind of technology won’t be around for a few decades more.
But if those crazy Italians want to ‘spook’ their scientists into heading overseas – they’re going the right way about it.
In a way, this case – along with ‘junk science’ and alternative ‘remedies’ – shows up one simple fact; that when people don’t have a firm understanding of science, they revert to simplistic notions.
Like those individuals who believe that the moon landings were a hoax. They point to the supposedly “fluttering flag” planted by US astronaut, Neil Armstrong. They insist that, because the Moon has a near vacuum instead of an atmosphere, that it would be impossible for the flag to “flutter”.
Well, in a way, they are right. There is no appreciable atmosphere on the Moon. So flags don’t “flutter”.
But, being made of a fabric with a wire mesh sewn into it, the material still moves with a motion imparted from the rod that it is attached to, as the astronaut is handling it, and trying to bury it into the lunar soil. More here .
Even in a vacuum, objects will move, once energy is applied. (“Energy” in this case being momentum.) Otherwise, of course, rockets wouldn’t work in the vacuum of space, would they?
But back to the case of the trial in Italy. One hopes that the presiding judge will see this as the lunatic situation that it truly is, and dismiss it within about ten seconds. Otherwise every scientist in Italy will probably consider packing their suitcases and buying a one-way ticket out of the country.
I’ve heard of anti-intellectualism (eg; the Scopes Monkey Trial) – but this is one firmly out of the “Strange & Stupid” Files…
.
See Also: Moon Landing Hoax Conspiracy
.
.
Police-inspired craziness ends.
About time.
This case should never have proceeded as far as it did. The mis-use of police power in this matter has brought the entire Police Force into disrepute.
Thankfully, saner heads have prevailed.
More here, though I am not fully comfortable with the ex;planation given by Police in this matter. Their “explanation” appears to be more one of a face-saving excuse, rather than an impartial look at the events that transpired that night.
One question that is unanswered is why this matter has taken exactly six months to resolve. Surely this was not a complex issue at all and if a relatively simple case like this can take six months for the Police to come to a satisfactory conclusion – then there is something seriously wrong.
More.
Dumber and dumber…
.
I understand that the Police in Christchurch are stressed, tired, and are burdened with keeping their community safe over the last twelve months.
That is the only rational reason why they seem to have lost the facility for basic common sense, in regards to Cornelius Arie Smith-Voorkam.
.
.
I understand that the Police have a tough job. I understand that they deal with awful situations that many of us only glimpse on tv shows like “Police Ten 7”. But I also understand that someone in the Police Force should have realised the mess they were creating for themselves and called a halt. Police HQ should have intervened; had a quiet word with Inspector Derek Erasmus; and sent Arie on his way.
In this instance, the Police have done more harm to their reputation than any organised crime gang ever could.
Defendent: NZ Police
Charge sheet: Lack of common sense
Public verdict: guilty
.
Simon Power, Minister of Justice
simon.power@parliament.govt.nz
Judith Collins, Minister of Police
judith.collins@parliament.govt.nz
.
+++ Update +++
.
.
It seems that a measure of common sense has been shown here, with regards to TVNZ.
Let’s hope the police “offer no evidence” (ie; drop all charges), when Arie next appears in Court. This ridiculous farce has gone on far too long.
.
.