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Aggrrhh! People who forward chain letters without checking the facts should have their Internet privileges revoked for a month.

I got this email yesterday, the upshot of which was that some bloke reckoned he had a Cure For Cancer, and the medical industry was blocking it ( Miracle Cure For Cancer! Suppressed by EVIL capitalist pigs! Sign and Save the World from the ravages of Cancer! And SPAM EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!!!!111!!!ELEVENTYONE111! )

Being the naturally curious (and skeptical) person that I am, I did what the email suggested, and checked it out on the web. 5 minutes later, and guess what? There IS a report published by the NHMRC. You can find it here. Alternatively, there is a plain english translation (for us non-medical geeks), in the form of a press release, here

So, I decided that I should actually reply to this (well, to everyone who got the same email as me)

( my actually very polite and informative reply )

I didn't even include the harsh stuff - where they analysed his patient data and totally shredded his '100% cure' delusion. Mostly because I thought they wouldn't understand it - what is this 'research' you speak of? Clinical study? Bah. We don't need no stinking study.

I also left alone all the logical and factual flaws in the letter itself, as well as the numerous unsupported claims - mostly cause I couldn't be bothered.

Before anyone says anything - I realise that the fact the study HAS been completed will not bother anyone who believes in the 'conspiracy to stop cancer cures', but at least it invalidated this particular piece of spam. You know, I can see the next one now.... NHMRC study on CURE FOR CANCER coverup by global american corporations!!!1!! Sign petition for new, unbiased survey conducted by TRUE BELIEVERS ONLY!!!!!1!!1

Just don't send it to me. Or do, so I can laugh (or possibly bang my head against a brick wall)

So please, if you are going to send me spam, even well-intentioned spam, then at least make sure it is WELL RESEARCHED spam. Up-to-date well-researched spam would be even nicer. And I would also like a pony and a toy rocket.

OK, now I feel better. Still worried about the stupidity of the human race, but better.


Random Observation for the Day - how the hell can supposedly intelligent people sign these things? I mean, really, com'mon people. *sigh*

The Coalition for Kevlar Shoelaces now has a new crusade - Salada which actually breaks along the lines (Swabal, which is a kinda cool acronym, really).

What is the point of having all those little breaking lines if they never break! Actually, not sure about the whole big biscuit breaking into 4 little biscuits thing in general. I mean, you only really need something that big if you want some sort of biscuit sandwich. Which is fine, whatever floats your boat, but if you try and bite into the thing, it breaks at strange and random places, not only dropping crumbs everywhere, including all of the keyboard if you happen to be in a five meter radius of a computer, but you also lose whatever you have on it. Why don't they just sell them pre-broken, if they can't get them to break predictably! Arrghh.

But anyway, I now have a new mission - to keep records of how many salada in this box break properly. I'm just a naturally curious person, I guess. More to the point, I'm just a naturally curious person who likes statistics to back me up. There's a thought - maybe we should ask the ABS. After all, these are the people who supposedly have records of how many Australians die every year from testing batteries on their tongue. Personally, I think its just a darwinian thing which should be allowed to proceed at its own pace.


Random Observation for the Day - I think the rest of this post is random enough, don't you?

No, I just filled out the mood thingy. The randomness only increases (just like entropy...) What is my dino wearing on his head?? This is worse than the last one!
I think its time to go to bed.

This is me working, can't you tell. Because I've been curious about americans and their weird political system for a while, I thought I should take this test - here's what I found.

You are a Social Liberal (75% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (30% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

At least if someone calls me a capitalist pig I can deny it :)

According to the site, I would be voting for Kerry, not Bush. Aren't they perceptive. Oh, and Darth Vader apparently sits about where all the lines meet in the bottom right hand corner. You can check out the picture of where famous people (including DV) sit on the site.

And since this is my political post for the year, I thought I might share something I found when I was reading one of my Dad's books last week. In "Night Probe" by Clive Cussler, there's a discussion between the President of America and his National sercurity advisor, which goes something like -

NSA - Two options as old as time to save an economy from sinking down the drain. One is to pray for a miracle.
Pres - And the second?
NSA - Provoke a war

Its good to know exactly where Dubya gets his poltical advice from.

If anyone cares, the solution they eventually go with in the book - stage a hostile takeover of Canada. I'm not kidding. Maybe someone should warn the Canucks before Bush starts aiming his missiles in their direction. :)

Random Observation for the Day - “I just think it’s rather odd that a nation that prides itself on its virility should feel compelled to strap on forty pounds of protective gear just in order to play rugby…” 10 points if you can tell me who said this...