posted on March 15, 2002 09:20:01 PM new
I am reading all about DNA samples and the fact that there may have to be laws passed to prevent invasion of privacy by newsies and fans seeking a sample of a star or politicians DNA. The secret serviice has been seen wisking away glasses Bush drank out of for example. A snoop pould tell entirely too much about a person's possible chance of getting diseases for example from a sample, or determain paternity when the information is not wanted.
The old Hawaiians thought that they had to guard every piece of hair or spit or feces that they lost from being recovered by others because it could be used to damage them and the other people could use it to have power over them.
Makes me wonder if instead of being superstitious as people thought they retained that concept from a previous advanced civilization that had skills in genetics?
posted on March 16, 2002 01:21:54 PM new Gravid, you might really be onto something here. Think of the revenue one could generate with an enterprise called The Psychic Food Network. And it would have its own built-in thwart-a-government-investigation safeguards, because so many agencies (FCC, FDA, just to name a couple) would be buck-passing and finger-pointing that any punitive action would be delayed for years. Why, you could start your own line of Psychic Swill, bark it in TV infomercials, and then begin to branch out: Diet Psychic Swill, guaranteed to send those unwanted pounds into the future; Champagne Ice Psychic Soda, marketed to kids with the promise they'll know all right answers on every algebra test; Psychic Pouilly Blanc Fume (may as well get the ATF into the fight) -- who hasn't had visions while intoxicated, afterall? The best part (and this is the one that will keep ya out of court for decades) is that a slick marketing strategy (similar to that used by cult leaders) would place the burden of realizing that they are now (temporarily, of course) psychic through eating your swill squarely on the consumers, to such an extent that they're embarrassed -- not outraged and screaming "fraud!" -- if it doesn't 'work' for them. Besides, you'll have so many customers willing to lie and swear that they "got it" (just to appear to have finally gotten something out of life) that you'll quite honestly be able to claim a phenomenal success rate.
Just one thing, you must promise to hire me as one of your Psychic Food Operators. I *see* many laughs awaiting me in that profession...
posted on March 16, 2002 05:04:04 PM new
Poi: a starch with an almost fruity taste, except for that it tastes like crap. Old Hawaiians put cane or pineapple sugar in their poi, modern usually thin it out with milk and sugar -- sort of like a thin porridge. I buy it once in a while. It is also high in fluorides, and the Hawaiians have the best teeth in the world: no cavitites and full set of adult teeth until death at old age.
Body parts and pieces have commonly been used throughout world history to help cast spells on the person who sample is being used. That leaving behind that shock of hair on the floor might fall into the wrong hands is just as viable today as it was to the ancients.
posted on March 17, 2002 04:46:56 AM new
Regarding those teeth, Borillar:
Pacific Islanders who are eating the Seventh Day Adventist Diet (vegetarian) have low rates of tooth decay. The ones who don't have high rates of tooth decay. Spam is popular in Samoa.
Another useless Sunday morning factoid brought to you by the O.D.D. You have the right to an informed opinion -Harlan Ellison
