Found a couple of comments submitted to James Randi's web-site (www.randi.org/jr)
A reader named Scott Nickell first tells me that he's related to professional skeptic Joe Nickell, and "fiercely proud" of it. He says that he may be a third cousin of Joe's, once removed, or so. Noted. Then he informs us:
I was going back through the [Swift] commentaries I missed while away for the holidays, and noticed some discussion of Ouija boards. A few years ago, I worked at a store that specializes in board games. We once had someone return a Ouija board they had purchased. It was defective, you see, because (and I quote), "it doesn't work."We cheerfully refunded her money.
Well, Scott, that was the right thing to do, and I think that it should apply to any number of other items that we simply can't list here, as I'm sure you'll agree. It reminds us of the old guarantee offered by a parachute company: "If this chute doesn't open, we will cheerfully refund your money."
and this one....
Vaughn Smith offers us further comments on the "Ouija" board?.
While Christmas shopping the other day, I passed two women in the games aisle who were in a heated discussion over what game to buy their teenage niece. One woman pointed to the Ouija board game and commented, much to my amusement, "Oh. Not that. Why do they even sell that? A device for contacting evil spirits." The other woman nodded her head in agreement and shuddered at the mention of it. It made me realize how different our two realities were. What would life be like, living in a world where toys from Wal-Mart could open the portal to another dimension filled with demons eager to destroy your life and haunt you forever ? for a mere $16.99?I couldn't resist, and commented, "Isn't it amazing how some $2-an-hour employee at Parker Brothers managed to crack the code of the universe years ago with a piece of wood and some plastic and was able to devise a foolproof contraption to contact the deceased?" They both gave me the strangest look because it was clear they couldn't compute what I had just said.
"On the other hand," I continued, "at least it doesn't need batteries."
Thought you might enjoy that. I know I did.
Comments, anyone? I was not aware that Parker Bros (makers of Monopoly!) were the creators of this game in its present form. Do you think they donate 10 percent of their annual profits to the Satanist's Chuch, along with Proctor and Gamble? (and there I go again spreading rumors!).