Quick Links, KFCruelty.com, etc.


Mr. KentuckyFriedCruelty.com Changes Name
Last year Christopher Garnett officially changed his name to "Kentucky fried cruelty.com". (It was a PETA publicity stunt.) Now he's had enough and is changing it back. Anyone feel like changing their name to "Museum of Hoaxes.com"? I'll give you a free book if you do. (Thanks, Beverley)

Thames Town, China
image The cobbled streets, Georgian houses, and Tudor-style pub might make you think you're in England. But you're really in Thames Town, a faux British village being constructed in China. I've heard of faux English towns in Korea also, but the Korean ones are used for English-language instruction.

Imitation French Fries
In response to a ban on fried food in school cafeterias, some Arizona schools are now serving "imitation fries." Or so claims the headline of the article. In reality, they're just fries that have been baked rather than fried. I don't think that really makes them imitation fries. Baked fries can taste pretty good, especially the curly ones seasoned with chili powder.

Religion-Related Fraud Worsens
Scams targeting churchgoers are on the rise. One passage from this article caught my eye: "Leaders of Greater Ministries International, based in Tampa, Fla., defrauded thousands of people of half a billion dollars by promising to double money on investments that ministry officials said were blessed by God." Instead of Sunday school, maybe churches should offer classes in critical thinking. Just an idea.

Food Identity/Imposters Places Religion

Posted on Tue Aug 15, 2006


Comments

"Instead of Sunday school, maybe churches should offer classes in critical thinking. "

If they did that, I think it would be like mixing matter and anti-matter, causing the Universe to implode.
Posted by Cranky Media Guy  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  02:01 AM
Ditto CMG. A policy of uncritical thinking and not questioning anything religious leaders say is a key element of the church's stranglehold on power and control. These scams will undoubtably be blamed on the devil, witches or Satan (anybody who doesn't believe in our cult).
Posted by Captain Al  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  08:11 AM
My praying mantis is still unnamed, I might as well call him Museum of Hoaxes.com. I don't think he can hear, anyways.
Posted by Citizen Premier  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  10:41 AM
>>My praying mantis is still unnamed, I might as well call him Museum of Hoaxes.com.<<

That would be a true honor. And you can always call him Moh, or just Mo, for short.
Posted by The Curator  in  San Diego  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  11:06 AM
ROTFL!!!!!! I clicked on the first link for the KFCruelty and what is on the right, but an advertisement for a steakhouse with a picture of a big, thick filet mingon. I laughed so hard, it got me a few strange looks here at work.
Posted by Lounge Lizard  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  11:31 AM
Hmm... changing my name to Museum of Hoaxes.com... The free book is tempting but with the costs of changing it and everything... I don't know. I'll sleep on it.
Posted by Archibold  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  01:11 PM
I'm guessing something not fried can't legally be called "fries"--but I agree, that's not what I'd call "imitation" french fries. What else would you call them, though--French Bakes?

Sorry. . . "Freedom Bakes"
Posted by JoeDaJuggler  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  04:07 PM
Some churches do have classes on critical thinking, and more of them incorporate critical thinking principles in their sermons and Sunday schools. Those usually aren't the churches with their own TV stations, though, so people who don't go to church usually don't hear of them.
Posted by Big Gary  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  04:39 PM
JoeDaJuggler,

although I got that was a joke and I don't want to make it sound serious, but the House cafateria's actually re-named their "Freedom Fried" back to French Fries recently. Not so much a correction as a piece of odd news (in the fact that it made news). Thank you The Colbert Report.
Posted by Archibold  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  05:03 PM
I'm bemused by the 'fake fries' thing - if only because what you call fries are what we call chips, and it's incredibly common over here to have oven chips, i.e. baked chips.
Posted by Boo  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  05:21 PM
Baked "fries" taste pretty good mainly because they've got grease all over them-- I'd be surprised if they turn out to be any more wholesome than the deep-fried originals.
Posted by Big Gary  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  07:28 PM
It's kind of strange when it happens, but as a result of European colonialism you'll often be wandering around some city in Africa or Asia, turn onto a street in the older part of town, and notice that everything around you looks like a street taken right out of late-1800's England or Germany. You halfway expect to see Kaiser Wilhelm or Queen Victoria strolling along. So it's even more of a surreal jolt when all the people in sight are dark-skinned and wearing very non-European clothing.

If you want a real faux city, though, visit the DMZ in Korea and look across at the North side of the line. You'll see what looks like a big, modern, high-tech and thriving city. . .only it's all made of two-dimensional ply-wood buildings and fake fronts and things like that. They built it to try to make people south of the DMZ think that the North is prosperous and great. If you don't look at it closely, it really can look rather impressive.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Wed Aug 16, 2006  at  09:21 PM
Critical thiking would be a serious threat to many forms of religion-obviously.
Posted by nitedrive  on  Thu Aug 17, 2006  at  12:09 PM
"Critical thiking would be a serious threat to many forms of religion-obviously."

Also to most forms of politics, not to mention casinos and state lotteries.
Posted by Big Gary  on  Thu Aug 17, 2006  at  04:34 PM
Being a critical thinker I just had to respond to the comment about state lotteries above. I myself spend no more than four dollars a week on the lottery. A much smaller fraction than what many people spend at Starbucks in a week. I am aware that it is highly unlikely that I would ever win a lottery. Yet with a ticket it is in the realm of possibility.
Lotteries are voluntary taxes. Where I live they go for state parks that I actually use and enjoy. Obviously if I spent a significant amount of money on the lottery in the hope or delusion that I might win would be irrational. But I don't.
Posted by Sheldon  on  Thu Aug 17, 2006  at  06:12 PM
So, Sheldon, you buy lottery tickets because you think you WON'T win?
Posted by Big Gary  on  Fri Aug 18, 2006  at  03:14 PM
I play the lottery fairly often - it is about the only tax that isn't collected with either the threat of violence or denial of services. Now in Arizona the lottery money is supposed to add to what the legislature spends for schools, roads, etc. but once the lottery got started, the legislature reniged. If I win, great; I'll probably give most of it away. But if I don't, it is a dedicated tax that I can live with.

And for the religion and critical thinking, not every religion is a fundamentalist-no-thinker type but bigots can make points with their crowd by painting with a broad brush.
Posted by Christopher Cole  on  Fri Aug 18, 2006  at  07:36 PM
Oh Christopher, you live in Tucson too! The Arizona lottery is actually one of the main forms of tax here. Unfortunately, it is a form of tax that takes more money from the poor then the rich.
Posted by Razela  on  Tue Aug 22, 2006  at  10:17 PM
I go into the lottery with my eyes open. I would almost prefer all taxes be dedicated as the lottery is supposed to be. However, listing what percentage of your taxes goes to which agency of the government on your tax form would probably be a disaster.
Posted by Christopher Cole  on  Tue Aug 22, 2006  at  10:45 PM
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