�PSYCHIC� PREDICTIONS

Does it surprise anyone that not one, not a single prediction, made by
any of the well-known psychics in 2002, has come true?

Example of failed predictions:

� Fran Baskerville, the "singing psychic" predicted that bin Laden's
arms would be blown off as he tried crossing the dessert to Hussein's
house for sanctuary.

� Sidney Friedman, the "haiku psychic" was wrong about Texas and
Quebec being major terrorist targets.

� Medium Andy Reiss incorrectly predicted that Ringo Starr and Paul
McCartney would reform the Beatles and rework old Beatles songs.

� Seer Elizabeth Joyce predicted that Prince Harry, would take a space
flight for publicity.

� Psychic Morris Font claimed Puff Daddy and Britney Spears would
marry and give birth to a baby boy they'd name Muhammad.

As an aside, the Amazing Randy, the world-renowned magician, is
offering $1 million to anyone who can prove they have psychic or
paranormal ability. It's been years and nobody has yet won the money
or even passed just the preliminary tests, in case you ever get
tempted to call a "psychic hotline" or visit your neighborhood seer.

Source

Summary by Jerry Lerman.

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THE LEFT IS NOW CONSERVATIVE

I have been arguing for some time now that attitude to change has never had much to do with the Left/Right divide in politics and that these days it is often the Left who oppose change. This recent comment from David Warren in Canada is in line with that:

�Suddenly, now that it is possible, indeed necessary, to change the world, the left guards the status quo and the right pushes forward. The left now looks to the past, the right to the future. Throughout at least the West, the left has become "conservative" in the old sense, defending public institutions against the claims of the individual and the family. The right has become compensatingly "liberal" in the old sense, of siding with the individual and the family against institutional power.�

My main additional comment is that those who are usually called �conservative� have ALWAYS been primarily motivated by a concern for individual liberty and that the belief in the need for liberty springs at least in part from a more cautious view of human nature (Ray, 1972, 1974 & 1981).

Via American Realpolitik.

Rerferences:
Ray, J.J.(1972) Acceptance of aggression and Australian voting
preference. Australian Quarterly, 44, 64-70.
Ray, J.J. (1974) Conservatism as heresy. Sydney: A.N.Z. Book Co.
Ray, J.J. (1981) Conservatism and misanthropy. Political Psychology
3(1/2), 158-172.

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RACIAL PREFERENCES UNDER FIRE

This article in National Journal is a bit of an eye-opener. That much beloved Leftist cause -- �affirmative action� -- is overwhelmingly rejected even by minority group members if you do a fair public opinion poll on the subject. And the reason why is clear: Racial preferences in college admissions etc. just spell out that minorities cannot be expected to live up to the same standards as whites -- not exactly a message that attracts any member of a minority group.

�Robert Musil� adds his support to the article�s conclusions.

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NEVER-ENDING COMPLAINTS

U.S. Leftists complain from time to time over the fact that the U.S. military is about one third black. But, as the WSJ says:

Besides, since when is it a complaint that a profession draws too many minorities? We hear endlessly about the problem of minority underrepresentation in various sectors of society, so why isn't Rangel congratulating the volunteer military for the excellent job it has done providing opportunities to minorities and the poor?

You can never please the Left. Complaining is what they are about. But they are ingenious in their complaints. Try this (also from WSJ):

Actually, probably no other people on earth go to such extremes as Americans to conceal the true features of women, particularly when they go out in public. This concealment is a multibillion-dollar industry, and it deals not in cloth, but in cosmetics. Cosmetics is but another word for a burqa.

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DANGEROUS GREENIES

Miranda Devine points out how Greenie efforts to save the red-crowned toadlet have killed people, caused great property destruction and killed off all sorts of wild animals wholesale. Once you have read the article I think you will agree with me that Greenies have a bit missing somewhere.

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ELSEWHERE

Michael Darby has a first-hand report from one of the few whites (an economist) remaining in Zimbabwe and Chris Brand notes a curious report that racism by the Welsh directed against the English is somehow said to be OK.

And The Carnival of the Vanities is up again. Lots of interesting reading.

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Comments? Email me: jonjayray@hotmail.com.
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