Absurd beliefs

With a hat tip to Tyler Cowen at Marginal Revolution, what belief do you actually hold which intelligent people around you would consider absurd?

I believe that the spoken word can influence what events happen. For instance, I think it's more likely the die will turn up a 1 if, before rolling, I say "roll a one". I don't think it guarantees an outcome, just that it changes the probabilities. If I'm speaking of an undesired event, I don't say something like "in case I'm run over by a truck"; instead I say "in case I'm trampled by rabid wombats." The odds of a wombat stampede in Virginia Beach are low enough that I don't mind increasingly them slightly.

I have no suggestion on a means by which speaking of an event might make it more likely, and no proof that it does, but I still believe it.

Another example would be "the American Empire will begin to collapse by 2050."

What do you believe, that other people might think absurd?

(Feb 21, 2011 note: this is the most-viewed post on my blog, but only one comment...)

94

Called my mom's father this afternoon, to wish him a happy 94th birthday. Such a small thing, but he really appreciated it.

How to become rich

You only have what you give. It’s by spending yourself that you become rich.

--Isabel Allende

Gnomes of Zurich

According to an article on Inside Science, a study of the ownership of nearly 25,000 stocks in 48 countries reveals that the majority of a country's market capital is controlled by "surprisingly few" shareholders. The description isn't clear and there are no links to the methodology, so there's no way to judge whether the conclusion is valid or meaningful; the study may merely be saying "the companies with lots of money have lots of money". But it's interesting.

The title comes from one of the power groups in the game Illuminati.

Life in Zambia

From Mom:

Double and Divide are doing fine. They are going to the private Christian School and I think their English is improving maybe a little bit. The problem is that when they are not in school they speak Tonga. Of course, their mom speaks no English so they are not learning as quickly as I would like. They are two cute little kids. A few days ago, Double came to the door crying as his 38 yr old uncle died. I didn't ask, I just assumed it was HIV/AIDS. I went to his village to pay respects.

Double and Divide stay in a different hut from their mom. The roof has to be renewed each year as the straw is not thick enough to keep the rains out when the rainy season comes. The boys have a bed. I did not sit on it so I don't know what it feels like but it is a bit larger than a twin size. The only other thing in their room (it is only one room) is a hen's nest and it had one egg in it. The door is a piece of plastic that looks like a used feed sack.

I cannot imagine how it feels to be cool right now. We have a fan in the bed room and thankfully the electricity is on and I still woke up wet with sweat. It is 2 am so it cannot be that hot....My husband seems okay with the heat so far but it gets much hotter usually in October. It was around 100 in total shade yesterday. I try to do everything I can early in the morning and get out of the heat by about 9:30 am. It starts to get a tiny bit cooler by five or six. The winds blow but it is the dry season and the dust flies like crazy.

The water thing is such a problem. The river beds are dried up. This happens every year so they manage but I don't know how. I really don't. We use old dish water to water the flowers. Rule: waste no water.

This past week there was suppose to be a baptizing in the church. The baptistery was filled up on Friday for that, but on Sunday when it was to be used, the water was all gone. I guess someone needed it for other purposes. The candidates for baptism went to the dam and that was difficult but they managed.

Yesterday a couple I know came to my door and needed water. I had put some aside in a bucket (you need a reserve) and they had none, so I gave them mine. I wondered what in the world I was thinking when I gave it away but the Lord provided. After bible study last night the water was running and electricity also so I was able to refill my own supply. I thought how precious the Lord was to do that. Most of the time I try to hang on to what I have because you just never know when the water is coming or not. (I don't mean that to brag but I am just thankful HE resupplied me!!).

There is a restaurant that is completely good to start--it has been complete for two months--but there is no water to run it. They have a well but it is totally dry. Of course, the water supply should have been the first consideration but it was the last. So there is a wonderful restaurant and no water. You would think they would figure that one out having been here for years, but evidently not. The Christian school has been with no water for well over a month and all those kids every day. So, the school has to have water hauled in daily by the barrel fulls. There have even been years when the hospital had to have water brought in from the capitol. Now imagine that. The capitol is 5 hrs away. That was the hardest time in Zambia as they had years of drought. We were here in 1991 for that. What gardens there were, dried up. People were very hungry. Thankfully we are not in drought years now. Thankfully. It is dry season but not drought.

When the rainy season comes it is reverse, big time. More water than you possibly

know what to do with. The roads are impassible mud at times and the river beds over flow.

It is hard even to get the clothes dry. The rain comes in sheets and sheets of water. The rainy season will be here soon - either begins in November or December.

I have to learn patience. For example if you want to do laundry you may have water but no electricity. Then again you may have electricity but the water will be off. Eventually, you hit a day when you have both! It happens but you have to learn to wait. And everyone here is in the same boat - so get over it.

When I re-read this email it sounds like a LOT of whining - not meant to be, however. I am just letting you know reality here and please be thankful for what you have. As Americans we have a lot to be thankful for. A lot.

Heisenberg for Men

The Uncertainty Principle as applied to women: You can interact with them, or understand them. Not both.

--source unknown

Best Dating Site Slogan

Tag line for a hypothetical dating site for Schlock Mercenary fans:

"Ladies: the odds are very good, but the goods are very odd."