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Curious Times No. 210
September 18, 2003QUIT WHINING, YOU’RE RICH
The next time you’re feeling sorry for yourself because you’re broke, go get another perspective at www.GlobalRichList.com, where you’ll find that if you’re reading this column, you’re probably in the top ten per cent of the wealthiest people on this planet. At this website you can punch in your yearly salary and see how you stack up against the rest of the world. "We wanted to do something which would help people understand, in real terms, where they stand globally," say the makers of this site, "And make us realize that in fact most of us are in the privileged minority." For example, earning over $25,400 annually puts you in the top ten per cent of the world’s wealthiest. On the other hand, 85 per cent of the world’s population lives on under $2,182 per year. http://www.globalrichlist.com/how.htmlTHEY’LL STILL BE FIGHTING 2000 YEARS FROM NOW
An Egyptian lawyer has filed a lawsuit against "all the Jews of the world" in order to recover property stolen during the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt over 3000 years ago. In his lawsuit, Dr. Nabil Hilmi demands the return of "gold, jewelry, cooking utensils, silver ornaments, clothing and more," as well as interest on all of these items. Hilmi goes on to accuse Jews of "clear theft of a host country’s resources and treasure, something that fits the morals and character of the Jews." His biggest claim is a reimbursement of all the gold which Jews allegedly stole, doubled annually. He asks for 1,125 trillion tons of gold to compensate for the 300 tons he estimates was taken. Apparently, a lawsuit similar to this was filed over 2,000 years ago and presided over by Alexander the Great. When faced with the charges, Jewish lawyers replied that Jews spent 430 years labouring in Egypt as slaves, and would be compensated for 600,000 men’s work during that period of time. That lawsuit was never resolved. (www.jewsweek.com)I NOTICE NOBODY EVER DUSTS UP HERE
Scientists in Britain are setting up the world’s first major experiment which will try to establish whether or not the mind can leave the body. The study will involve 25 hospitals, each of which will place special objects and pictures near the ceilings of their cardiac units. Then, over the next year, interviews will be done with people who survive cardiac arrest, in order to find out if they believe they had an out-of-body experience. Each survivor who then claimed to have such an experience - in which subjects typically claim to be hovering near the ceiling watching the resuscitation process - would then be asked to describe the objects and pictures in each cardiac ward. "If they do notice them when the brain is not functioning then it makes the case for the mind being separate from the brain," said neuropsychiatrist Peter Fenwich, who claims there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest out-of-body experiences occur, but as yet no scientific data. (Reuters Health)MAN’S BEST (TASTING) FRIEND
The city governor of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, has urged the citizens of that city to help take care of a rampant stray dog problem by turning back to clock on so-called polite society and eating the animals. Kep Chuktema, the man who drew up the new policy in an effort to clean the streets of mangy mutts, was quoted as saying "Come on, dog meat is so delicious...the Vietnamese and Koreans love to eat dog meat." (CNN)WHEN BORED RICH KIDS GO HORRIBLY WRONG
The arrest of a young man from one of Japan’s elite universities has revealed a huge scandal in which student clubs have been turned into gang-rape franchises, with wild parties being set up in order to find young women to victimize. Shinichiro Wada and four other students were arrested last summer for the gang-rape of a 20-year-old student. During the criminal investigation, it was revealed that Wada was the ringleader of the notorious "Super Free" student club, and had set up franchises of the club at most of Japan’s elite universities. Wada reportedly earned over ten million yen per year, setting up wild parties at which club members would get hundreds of girls stinking drunk and then take turns gang-raping their "favourite" few girls. Organizers of the parties were given manuals which explained how to organize the parties, sell tickets, sweet-talk the girls and calm them down after the rapes. Wada’s father expressed shock at the allegations, and promised that he would kill his son when he was released from prison, adding "my son should be brave enough to kill himself." (couriermailnews.com.au)
BIG HACK ATTACK
The next time you have a heart attack, try to remember to start a coughing like your life depended on it. Doctors from the Cardiological Foundation in Poland have concluded studies which suggest that coughing at the first signs of severe chest pains may be enough to ward off serious cardiac arrest. The researchers believe that deep coughing during the onset of a heart attack may be enough to maintain consciousness and push enough blood through the body and brain in order to regain an effective heartbeat. (BBC)SHE STOLE MY SPERM
A Czech court has awarded £20,000 compensation to a man who says he was "tricked" into giving his sperm to his ex-girlfriend. Apparently, his ex once told him that her doctor needed a sample of his sperm in order to prescribe the proper contraception. Instead, she took the sperm ot a fertility clinic and had herself knocked up, and then demanded child support payments for the child. True love is so sweet... (Ananova)
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