Friday, 29 December 2000
1. QI: CAN KIRLIAN PHOTOGRAPHY REVEAL MENTAL IMPAIRMENT?
Two weeks ago, WN promised to say more about a Dec 12 story on ABC
Good Morning America about the body's "Qi" or "energy field"
(WN 15 Dec 00).
Qi plays a major role in ancient Chinese medicine.
Touch therapists claim they sense Qi with their hands, but failed
a simple double-blind test administered by a nine-year old
(WN 3 Apr 98).
Imagine how excited they were, therefore, to learn from
ABC that modern science gives the aura "respectability." In the
Kirlian method, an object is placed between the plates of a high-
voltage capacitor, with one plate covered by photographic film.
An "aura" appears to surround the developed image. For at least
25 years it's been known that the Kirlian "aura" is just corona
discharge. However, New-Age physicist Beverly Rubik of the
Institute for Frontier Science used a Kirlian image to diagnose
deficiencies in ABC's Science Correspondent, a PhD physicist, who
gushed that "some of the things she said hit close to home."
2. ARMS CONTROL: THE BUSH TEAM TAKES A HARD LINE.
During the
campaign, George W. Bush promised to reaffirm the existing
moratorium on nuclear testing. Although nobody expects the Bush
administration to support CTBT, who thought Nixon would open up
relations with China? Bush promises a national missile defense,
and yesterday he picked Donald Rumsfeld to be Defense Secretary.
Rumsfeld thinks Star Wars is the greatest story ever told. Colin
Powell also loves Star Wars, but Moscow steadfastly refuses to
amend the 1972 ABM Treaty. Powell is the only advisor to Bush who
is on record supporting CTBT. Condoleeza Rice, Bush's National
Security Advisor, opposes CTBT, but favors a continued moratorium
on testing. Dick Cheney, of course, also opposes CTBT, favors
NMD, and is likely to push for development of a new mini-nuke.
3. PREDICTIONS FOR 2001: GASP! DID WHAT'S NEW MISS ONE IN 2000?
WN predicted that BlackLight Power would offer an IPO. However,
the Patent Office balked at issuing patents for hydrinos, and
BLP was forced to postpone the dream of a $1B stock offering.
WN courageously acknowledges its first miss, and boldly moves on.
- The ABC science correspondent will report that dowsing rods
really work. He'll praise his own objectivity.
- MIR will splatter all across France, outraging the French.
Everyone else will be relieved.
- Those who claim that power lines and
cell phones are linked to cancer will now find that Play Station-2
is even worse.
- An investigation will be launched into the sinister forces
that control the falling of dead oak trees.
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