Jonathan D. Blundell

Eric told me about uncyclopedia.org today. It’s built around the Wiki engine and allows user submissions.
I found an interesting photo today – but you tell me: Freedom of software or disrespect to Islam?

Why do people automatically assume the media is biased when they report negative news about a political candidate?
We’ve had several letters to the editor after we ran some “not-so-flattering” stories about political candidates.
Maybe I’m missing something.

As a followup to the Tibetan entry, here’s some information on hallucinogenic tea.
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a small religious sect to import and use the tea in their worship services.

Members of the religion believe the tea is sacred and that it helps connects them to God.

I think that’s what I would be saying too.

NPR is doing a series on Tibetan medicine. It’s interesting as they talk to the local munks and others to hear their thoughts on the medicine. My impression was that the munks and buddhists in the area believe the healing power in the medicine is just as much spiritual as it is medicinal.

At the Kunming Institute of Botany, scientists analyze and synthesize the chemical compounds of China’s wealth of medicinal plants. The institute’s deputy director, Yang Yongping, says the government’s goal is to develop a profitable pharmaceutical industry in Yunnan Province — and that leads to a firm commitment to conservation, to protect the source of potential new medicines.
“We have a moral responsibility to keep those species in our earth village,” he says.
Conservation is already built in to Tibetan culture, where plants are considered both medicinal and spiritual. There is a revival of Tibetan culture in China, and that’s led to a renewed interest in traditional medicine rooted in Buddhism.

I have to wonder, in my doubt, which is it more of. I’ve seen God work do many wonderful things and I’ve seen medicine clear my headache in seconds. The munks were quoted as believing they were getting Buddha’s power into the medicine by burning it in the temple. Wouldn’t the same chemical changes happen if they burned it in a Texas Baptist Church as well?

I’m amazed that this e-mail is still going around…

Don’t buy Pepsi in the new can. Pepsi has a new “patriotic” can
coming out with pictures of the Empire State Building, and the
Pledge of Allegiance on them.
However, Pepsi left out two little words on the pledge,

“Under God.”
Pepsi said they didn’t want to offend anyone.

In that case, we don’t
want to offend anyone at the Pepsi corporate office, either!
So if we don’t buy any Pepsi product, they will not be offended
when they don’t receive our money that has the word “In God We Trust” on it.

As you may recall, this actually has it’s origins with a Dr Pepper can. People were in uproar when Dr Pepper released a patriotic can with the prhase “One nation… Indivisible” on the can in support of the nation after Sept. 11.
But leave it up to the Internet to change the story to their liking.