The Atheists Nightmare

“Behold, the atheists’ nightmare. Now if you study a well-made banana, you’ll find, on the far side, there are 3 ridges. On the close side, two ridges. If you get your hand ready to grip a banana, you’ll find on the far side there are three grooves, on the close side, two grooves. The banana and the hand are perfectly made, one for the other. You’ll find the maker of the banana, Almighty God, has made it with a non-slip surface. It has outward indicators of inward contents – green, too early – yellow, just right – black, too late. Now if you go to the top of the banana, you’ll find, as with the soda can makers have placed a tab at the top, so God has placed a tab at the top. When you pull the tab, the contents don’t squirt in your face. You’ll find a wrapper which is biodegradable, has perforations. Notice how gracefully it sits over the human hand. Notice it has a point at the top for ease of entry. It’s just the right shape for the human mouth. It’s chewy, easy to digest and its even curved toward the face to make the whole process so much easier.” Ray Comfort.

“Well your other customers are probably getting angry. But before you go, I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we take all those good feelings you’re having right now” — raising his hands again — “and put them into this pack of sugar” — he picked up a sugar pack and rubbed his raised hand on it — “so that you can carry them around all day.”: The Game, Neil Strauss

Anchoring is a powerful psychological tool. Comfort uses a form of it in the above passage. Business cards are practically built on it. And if you use it correctly, it can help you change a one time message into a constant reminder.

Anchoring is where one tries to tie certain feelings to objects. In the first example the anchor is a banana (there’s another video below where the same kind of thing is done with Peanut Butter). Every time you see a banana your thought should be ‘hey! evidence of intelligent design’. Ideally, if you’ve done your job you this should them lead to action, in this case, telling a friend the same story and spreading the meme (a meme being a structured piece of information).

In our second example the anchor is a packet of sugar that a Pick up artist (see Neil Strauss’ ‘The Game’ for info on that mob) has given a waitress. In the book he later elaborates on this, saying the idea is for her to find it after work and be reminded of the good time she had with ‘that man at the restaurant.’ Ideally, this should again lead to ‘action’ (wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more!)

There’s an advertising campaign going on right now run by Palmolive that does a GREAT job of using this technique. I can’t find a freely available example of the image, but it’s an image of a bar of soap. At the top is the word ‘bum’ and at the bottom is the word ‘face’. The ad is for shower gel, and the anchor is the soap. The action desired here is the purchase of the product. If when you picture soap your first thought is ‘ew, bum’, then you’re more likely to make the change to shower gel.

A fantastic book called ‘The Art of Memetics’ describes a technique related to this, a technique developed by practitioners of magic called sigilization. The practice involves creating a symbol that represent your intention. To make a fairly dull example I might decide to look after my teeth better. I create a stylised tooth with the Chinese character for ‘clean’ on it, and place it around my house. So, rather than just hoping I remember to brush my teeth, I am constantly reminded. The object (image) implies the concept (brush your teeth) which leads to action (I brush my teeth.)

Creationist videos applying this technique.
Peanut Butter
Banana

Advertorial by Palmolive as part of soap campaign.

This article is written by Brenton Clutterbuck and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share alike license.

This entry was written by jube, posted on July 31, 2010 at 8:31 am, filed under General Articles. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Hand in Hand school

Hand in Hand School is a series of bilingual schools in Israel Palestine that encourage students of Arab and Jewish ethnicity to learn together.

“I am a swimmer so I swim with the Jewish people. There used to be with Jewish people only (sic). They didn’t speak with Arabs at all before I came, so it was a little different for them. But we are like brothers now.” Ersheid Muataz (student)

“When I’m an adult I’ll still have Arab friends, and maybe I’ll try to change something. Maybe most of the schools can have Arabs in them… maybe all schools can have Arabs and Jews together. Jamie Einstein (student).

“He is fluent in Hebrew. When he speaks, no one can even tell that he’s an Arab.” – Mohammad Ayyad (parent)

“This is a very idealistic school… All the parents who send their children to this school have strong ideals. We know this is working at coexistence drop by drop, but we all hope something will come of it.” Omar Nashef (parent).

“We teach multi-culturalism, not a dominant and subordinate culture, but two equal cultures. We teach two languages equally. And we focus a lot on identity – meeting the other and understanding him. That process actually strengthens one’s own identity,” Teacher.

“We teach multi-culturalism, not a dominant and subordinate culture, but two equal cultures. We teach two languages equally. And we focus a lot on identity – meeting the other and understanding him. That process actually strengthens one’s own identity,” – Amin Khalaf (Founder).

“We held so many meetings, and parent workshops that would prepare us for what might happen on that first day of school… but the children blended so naturally that we realized that we were the problem, not them.” Eldad Garfunkel (Parent).

I hope it will give them the opportunity to understand and tolerate different points of view, and hopefully it will build the proper ground to achieve long-lasting peace.” – Shachar (Teacher)

“That two bilingual schools have been established is indicative that we have established a precedent… Ideally, we want to see this get rooted in Israeli society and see the state take care of all the future financing.” Bob Marks (Teacher)

“It is even more difficult when my partner comes from another culture, with another type of educational background, and a different outlook and values concerning education… At the beginning of this year, I didn’t have such a good relationship with my partner but today we have learned to understand and respect one another and we have reached a point where the learning process flows. The children benefit from this because they see in us a model of coexistence and harmony between Arabs and Jews.” Lily Masch. (Teacher).

‘It (the school) is a flower in a bleeding, fighting city.” Alla Hattib (Principal).

Image by RickP. Licensing info.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 8:17 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Let’s assume a deterministic view of the world, where basically everything is set in a way that will determine the outcome of events from the onset, and continue to accept (Hawking describes this in brief history of time) that this set of inevitable events cannot be known. Let’s also assume, for the sake of this little article that there are no Theological implications to prevent this (that any God or Deity either exists inside the same determinist structure, or that they do not set forth events that would upset this state of existence, or else are responsible for this structure operating inside the discussed limitations.)

We can accept that in this state, Free Will is largely an illusion. This article was in a sense predestined by who I am as a person, genetically and as shaped by the experiences that the universe has contrived to make happen. What I would like to propose is a structure for understanding the specifics of the various illusions of Free Will, and the way in which it may be rational to act in regard to this.

I would like to propose three types of Free Will.

Pragmatic, Counter-intuitive , and Deistic.

Pragmatic Free Will can be understood as Free Will, that we can accept as existing, in practical terms. For example, to pick up a pencil, or not. To order chicken or beef. Decisions which we feel, in practical terms, we are free to choose one option or another.

Counter-intuitive Free Will can be understood as choices made in opposition to our disposition. I will propose two other elements here, that this type of Free Will must be caused in part by an event, and with effort. For example, a homosexual who develops a heterosexual lifestyle must be influenced by an event (ie, a religious experience) and with effort.

Deistic Free Will is not proposed as actual Free Will but as the closest imitation to what we may consider actual, or God-like Free Will, where one may make counter-intuitive decisions as though they were Pragmatic. A person who can decide rationally to live or die, love or not love another person, support one candidate or another be one type of person or another, as they choose, as easily as picking up a pencil, or ordering beef or chicken could be said to have (Psudo)Desitic Free Will.

The basic proposal is that while we may not be able to have ‘Free Will’ in the traditional sense, through broadening our knowledge and range of experience, it may be possible to manifest greater types of Free Will in areas where it would seem to most matter.

TL;DR;
We may be the product of the things that influence us, but we can recognise that some actions are more automatic than others, and by using structured ways of considering this we can try to maximise our conscious influence over our own actions.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 8:15 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Arvin the sculptor was well known for his arts. He worked with gold and silver, bronze and iron, and had many well to do customers.

He was asked therefore one day, by a Mayor of a great city if he would stay for a while to make a statue of the Christ that would reflect the true Godlike nature of the figure. The Mayor thought the task impossible, and was sure Arvin would fail and be mocked for his failures. He gave Arvin 30 days to complete his work.

Arvin began to work in the streets, using space the Mayor had granted him. Though the Mayor had offered him 100 gold bars and a large bag of precious jewels to work on his piece, he made it know to the public that he would accept donations of gold pieces and precious stones for those who wished to help him create the most wondrous and stunning work of art.

People were happy to donate. The rich and the well to do heard of his task, and sifted though their property to find what precious things they could donate. Arvin found himself donated gold pieces, necklaces of pearl, ruby rings, sapphire earnings, a velvet jacket with jade buttons.

Every day people would watch him work, and wonder at the very beauty of what he was creating.

On the 29th day, it seemed he had completed his golden sculpture. The Mayor was too moved to speak, looking upon it, and demanded it be immediately erected in front of the government house. But Arvin refused.

“You promised me 30 days, and I’ve only worked 29. Tomorrow it will be complete.”

There was much busyness about the town. In the night the Mayor had his people caution off an area around the golden shimmering Christ so that they might charge a great deal to let people through to see the final staged of completion.

On this final day a great crowd had gathered. Arvin waited, standing staring at the sculpture for some time, as the people looked on. The poor stood at the edge of the street, trying to gain a glimpse of the final completion, but could not get in to see the final steps.

At last Arvin moved, picking up a large hammer. Taking a deep breath he raised his hand and beat the face. A diamond shattered, and the gold scraped away, disfiguring the perfect features, and there was a horrified cry of shock through the crowd. Across the rest of the day he continued to mangle his perfect sculpture, tearing it apart with his tools, ripping the precious stones out of the golden flesh. At times the outrage of the crowd grew so great that he truly feared they would approach and tear him limb from limb. Sweat glistened accross his face as he continued his destructive work, bending and destroying the delicately shaped contours, until all that was left was a mangled heap of gold and jewels. He turned to face the crowd, who had so passionately loved his tribute to God. Their eyes were red and their faces streamed with tears, and he spoke;

“Where were your tears,” he said, “when you came to give me your precious trinkets you no longer needed, then walked past the poor and the starving? Where were your gold pieces when a mother needed them to feed her child?”

He indicated to the pile of wrecked gold and jewels.

“Tear this apart and give it to the poor and starving. Your actions shall be my great sculpture. All else is simple idolatry.”

Image; Attribution: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com
License info.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 8:11 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

“Evolution is Science Fiction.”

I can’t help but cringe at the anti-Evolution propaganda. The pairing of Christianity to ‘anti-evolution’ seems an odd one. My worry is not about what this means for the theory of evolution (this can be essentially demonstrated as accurate in a laboratory; I have no illusions that it is at all under threat; though neither am I arguing that everyone should be forced to accept it as fact), but rather what it means for Christianity and the way in which it is culturally represented.

I do not think this makes much impact on the anti-evolution Christians (aside from being irritated by smart alec Darwinists) or much impact on the kind of Dawkins brand atheists (aside from being irritated by the anti-evolution angle). What it does make an impact on, is the large group in the middle; accepting of conventional science, and either accepting (whether practising or not) or at least not antagonistic towards Christianity.

What the ‘anti-evolution’ Christianity brand seems to me to represent, is a brand of Christianity that is characterised by ignorance and vitriol, rather than by love, compassion and faith. My concern is that Christianity does have all those latter virtues (and goes over them in some fantastic parables – Good Samaritan being an excellent example) and has a lot to offer our society. However, that message I fear is being drowned out by the former. Everyday, hundreds of cars pass the church sign I’ve quoted above. To me, this is selling a negative message of Christianity as somewhat backwards thinking, rather than taking the opportunity to promote the message of Christ.

I see no reason that evolution should be a threat to Christianity. Galleleo’s research did not kill Christianity with the knowledge that the Earth was not the centre of the universe; even today, most of the anti-evolution adherents would not subscribe to the theory. To quote ‘The King and I’;

KING: Ah! Mrs. Anna! I think your Moses shall have been a fool!
ANNA: Moses?
King: Moses, Moses, Moses! Here it stands written by him that world was created in six days. You and I know that it took many centuries to create world. I think he shall have been a fool to write so. What is your opinion?
Anna: Your Majesty, the Bible was written not by men of science, but by men of faith. It was their explanation of the miracle of creation, which is the same miracle, whether it took days or many centuries.

There are many people out there who are ready to embrace many of the teachings of Christianity, or who are at least not antagonistic towards it. Even where a Christian believes evolution is false, it hardly seems the selling point of Christianity, and to promote it as a fundamental aspect seems bizarre and divisive.

As always, I’m being completely subjective here, so please don’t take offence, that’s not my intention.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 8:08 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Finished reading through an article I wrote on Omoiyari (Japanese Empathy Training) and have some strange ideas running around; I learned most of my Japanese from non-native speakers (mostly Koreans) using the language to communicate.

When you consider the degree to which Japanese uses implication and euphemism to communicate, then consider that ALONGSIDE this cultural standard you have another social group using the language as directly as possible to aid communication in a way that is culturally completely different, you begin to realise one thing – that in learning a language, we not only develop and understanding of the language we learn, but we unwittingly develop a social and linguistic hybrid language that doesn’t completely belong to the culture of the language or the speaker.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 8:06 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

At some point (I can’t find the year yet, will update this when I do) it was decided that rather than a three year course, education should be a four year course. While this in itself doesn’t seen like a bad idea, having gone through the course, it seems like the longer time hasn’t been coupled with basic measures to regulate Education courses, ensuring the quality of what is taught is improved. Otherwise, simply making everything bigger is like trying to win a war but putting the the same soldiers and weapons in a bigger ship, with no improvement of skills or technology.

I hope to cover six areas in which I feel – based either on the experiences of myself or others, across various universities – require improvement.

1) Education is practical
This should seem obvious. Unfortunately however, the obviousness of this crucial point is overlooked at times. There’ve been university courses out there that completely miss the point, claiming an introductory course in Education is theoretical, not practical.
If students come out of a course with permission to teach, the course must teach practical skills.

2) University students need early exposure to school students
Early exposure is essential in providing a point of reference, and also in not wasting people’s time. You want to foster an environment where your courses are catering to the needs of people who KNOW they are passionate about teaching.

3) Indigenous Education must be meaningful
Here I’m talking about classes FOR university students. Indigenous studies can turn into an attempt into hammering guilt into people’s heads, which really doesn’t do anyone any good. A sincere attempt at explaining pre-colonial/colonial history and all the horrors that came along with it is important, but I would argue, even more important is an attempt to help everyone UNDERSTAND Indigenous cultures, not as a series of political issues, but from the practical understanding that there needs to be a strong understanding of contemporary Indigenous culture.

4) Students must be taught to teach
Again, this should seem obvious. Teaching ‘teacher stuff’ at a theoretical level is not enough. Students need classes that say THIS is how we teach MATHS. THIS is how we teach LITERACY.

5) Literacy and numeracy is for everyone.
This is very much directed at High School. There is no reason that high school teachers should not have these skills available to them. Yes, it is EXTREMELY unlikely that you will have time to identify the one out of 30 kids in your class who can’t read, and wander off and teach him the alphabet, while the other 29 keep working quietly. But it is likely that on your way back to the front of the class you will pass that student, and you will be able to make a comment to them; will you just make up something that probably sounds good and meekly encouraging? Or will you say something that will, based on your knowledge of literacy education, help them along their path of learning, and that will be part of a larger strategy.
Everyone needs to know how these skills are taught. If you simply don’t have time for this, you simply don’t have time to be a teacher.

6) Primary and Secondary teachers should work together.
This isn’t specifically a University problem; Secondary teachers sometimes don’t teach certain things that students may have forgotten, or never picked up because ‘they learned that in primary school’. Likewise primary teachers sometimes fail to introduce key concepts because ‘that’s high school stuff’.’
It may not be a University problem, but university does have a chance to offer some solutions. But ensuring Primary and Secondary teachers cross paths, regularly, they help foster a spirit of collegiality and ensure both sets of teachers are aware of the needs of the other.

Please note that some of the language may sound wishy washy or non-specific; this is to avoid criticising specific institutions, and ensure the focus is on the actual issues.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 8:04 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Mr Mendelhorn sat into his chair comfortably and signaled to the waitress with a dignified air. The day was warm, with a light breeze that prevented the heat from becoming uncomfortable. There was a faint drone in the air, as the bees in the trees nearby jumped lightly between the pink and purple flowers.

Mr Mendelhorn’s waitress looked much like she had in the photo he’d seen, young and cocky, yet distinctively feminine. She was now wearing glasses though, which so far as he could tell, were simply cosmetic, and her hair had been cut to half length and dyed black. The nose though, the soft curve of the neck, the greeny hazel eyes betrayed her identity perfectly.

“How may I help you?” she asked.

“Tea, thank you. A pot, two cups. Darjeeling.”

“Would you like anything to eat with that?”

“The tea will suffice for present.”

The waitress walked off, and Mendelhorn pulled a small pouch of tobacco from his jacket pocket and rolled a small cigarette. He placed it gently between his lips and began to feel for a lighter, but soon seemed to loose interest, and placed the unlit cigarette in his breast pocket. He pulled a small mirror from his pocket and used it to check his hair, before tilting it further to gain a glimpse of The Doctor.

The Doctor was dressed smartly, though he had attempted to dress down a little to avoid being conspicuous. There were a number of individuals around him, equipped to prevent an attempt of his life. Mendelhorn placed the mirror back into his pocket and reclined a little in his chair.

The footsteps of the waitress approached, and he sat up a little as she came into view, placing down the tray with the pot, cups, milk and sugar. Mendelhorn gave a slight smile as she poured the tea into a cup. he took the pot with one hand – the other remained below the table out of view – and filled the second cup also.

“Will that be all sir?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid, despite your excellent service, I must find fault here.”

“I am certainly willing to help.”

“I’m afraid the tea is poisoned.”

There was a short shocked pause. The girl had made to disguise her distress, but it had already flashed across her face. Her composure had returned though, and she seemed unaffected. She smiled politely.

“I am sure that is not the case, but I am happy to return your tea to the kitchen if it is not to your satisfaction.”

He waved aside the idea with a flick of his hand. “That won’t be needed,” he said dismissively. “I am quite happy to drink it regardless. But I would have you drink with me.”

The concern was quite evident on her face by this stage. “With due respect sir,” she said, “It is store policy that I am not to dine with customers. Especially while I am at work.”

“I insist.”

“I will replace your tea presently.”

She leaned over the table, and grabbed the tray. His hand placed itself gently on hers, and he leaned forward, speaking in an urgent whisper, a new sound, a husky violence creeping into his hushed speech..

“My hand is under the table madam, my finger curls a trigger. The tea is poisoned, the effects of our present actions are of great consequence. Do not mistake my geniality for indifference. I will shoot you and leave you on the floor to bleed to death.” He reclined again, and flashed a warm smile. “Please, go ahead, sit. Your boss will understand. I will tell them I insisted.” He gave a wide, cheesy grin. “If need be, I’m sure I can tell him that I will have the Party ensure his taxes are looked after.” he gave a small, humourless chuckle.

The girl sat in front of him, and visibly held back a physical reaction as she saw him lift the teacup to his lips and gulp down mouthfuls of tea. He placed the cup down and nodded thoughtfully.

“You have chosen a good substance,” he said, “one can barely distinguish a difference between the two. Taste your cup. You will not be disappointed. You have clearly made a great deal of tea in your time.”

The girl took her cup nervously and held it to her lips. Mr Mendelhorn kept one hand conspicuously beneath the table as she did, his eyes probing her face curiously, lustful of a reaction, an insight beyond her well rehearsed veneer. She took a small gulp, then, with nothing to lose, another larger, and another, and placed the cup on the table again, nearly empty.

“The tea is pleasant,” she said. “I should think it is unlikely it is poisoned. I do not feel any effects. I suspect you only try to frighten me to make me more susceptible to your advances.” She shook a finger reproachfully at him, but she was still clearly ill at ease, and the effect was not convincing.

Mr Mendelhorn pulled a small vial of aqua blue liquid from his jacket pocket and placed it on the table.

“We shall have a little of this,” he said, “when we are done talking. Provided I am satisfied with the conversation. It will undo what harm has been done from the tea.” He waited patiently for a reaction, but she did not show one.

He picked up his cup and drank the last, refilling from the pot, adding a little milk and sugar, and stirring slowly. He tapped the teaspoon twice, and placed it on the tray.

“My question is this,” he stated, “What are your feelings about The Doctor?”

“Which Doctor, sir?”

“The Doctor, my dear. The great gallows-man of our political institution. The executor of dissidents. The bogeyman we have hidden in the closet of our society, to keep the people imprisoned and the Party free. Is that clarified.”

The girl chose her words with care. “I’m afraid my views are not so energetic as yours, Sir.”

“And those views are?”

“I do not have a view. I suspect he is simply doing a job.”

“You say then, you have no hatred of him?”

“I see no need for hatred,” she said, but a very slight pang of disgust betrayed the lie. “Should you expect me to hate him?”

“Of course,” he said, matter-of-factly. “Most people do. Even those inside the party who defend the value of his role openly despise him.”

“I suppose you are telling me you despise him?”

Mr Mendelhorn sipped again at his tea. The girl caught herself staring at the antedote of the table, and averted her eyes.

“I do not,” he said finally. “No more than I despise the man two tables down, with the beard. As I walked towards the guests entrance, he perceived I was heading towards the main gates, and rudely shoved past me to ensure any unreserved table would be his, not mine. The human condition is not simply the pursuit of happiness, but the pursuit of power, the imposition of the appearance of order over chaos. The need to know that tomorrow the sun will rise, the bus will arrive, there will be a spare table provided for lunch, and the political zeitgeist will remain undisputed. We do not hate a man for seeking power, but we see fit to demonize one who wields it. I hate The Doctor for his acts of killing no more than I’d hate a spider for eating flies. Each man has the right to seek the power of a tyrant, and to wield it where he can.”

“But not the right to resist him?” said the girl. The remark was casual, but instantly regretted.

“Resistance is not the noble alternative to the pursuit of power,” he replied. “It is only the label placed on it by those who would wish to impose the illusion of nobility on their own power seeking actions. You believe you have the right to take the power of The Doctor away. You have wrapped your intent in the veil of utilitarianism, and when your suitcases explode and tear off the face of a woman awaiting the birth of her child, you will cling to this veil like a childish toy.”

“I didn’t mean to imply anything,” said the girl hurriedly, “I’m not about to kill him! I admit he makes me ill, but I wouldn’t kill him!”

“You are more correct than you suspect you are,” said Mr Mendelhorn, looking at his watch. “You took great care, all of you, to ensure your success, but you overlooked the simplest of details; The carpet on the left back wall, behind the kitchen area hides a staircase downstairs, to a cramped area below where the indoor diners eat. In four minutes, your two companions will make their move to place their explosives within killing distance of The Doctor. And they will be stopped short by two of my own gentlemen, who lie under these floorboards, prepared to shoot them.”

Time slowed to a painful crawl. The girl seemed to sit a little higher up as they waited. The low drone of the bees seemed lower in pitch, and the tables seemed full of couples paused in the midst of conversation. The girl pressed her fingers more firmly against the wood of the table. She felt as though she could feel the poison seeping into her muscles and leeching into her brain. The first step, from what she had been told, would be the failure of her ability to speak, as her tongue went numb. Then to walk. Then the failure of consciousness, and finally the complete stopping of her heart.

Then it hit.

The ground vibrated as an explosion shattered the serenity of the day. There was the distinct sound of the shattering of wood and glass. The girl leaped across the table, thrusting a hand into Mr Mendelhorn’s face and grabbing the vial, rolling off the table and landing with her back to the ground, Mendelhorn falling backwards off his chair, clumsily staggering to his feet. The pistol had fallen beside the table, and she reached over to snatch it up, and jumped to her feet. Gripping the vial tightly she tore the lid off with her teeth and downed the whole of the sickly sweet liquid, throwing the glass vial away. She held the gun out at Mr Mendelhorn who simply stood before her.

She pulled sharply at her shirt and several buttons broke off, reveling the skinny microphone strapped to her light chest.

“They hear you! They heard it all!” she cried, “They knew all about your ambush! Your little game has been lost you swine! You lose!”

Mendelhorn did not make any effort to move, but pulled the cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips.

“Of course you had a microphone,” he said. “How else would your two compatriots have been convinced to delay their operation in order to walk into an ambush?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter, lighting his cigarette.

“You perhaps still take satisfaction in your having prevented my drinking of the antidote,” he said. “However, one soon finds when one works intimately with such things, that it is not difficult to bribe a dealer of poisons. You were again more correct than you supposed when you suggested there was no poison in my tea.”

The girl looked to the side, and saw clearly; the explosion had occurred behind the restaurant, and standing flanked by security, and looking straight through her with an expression of painful smugness was The Doctor.

She turned her head back to Mendelhorn and, filled with panic, tried to ask what was in the vial if not an antidote, but her tongue was already to numb to form the words.

This entry was written by jube, posted on at 6:23 am, filed under Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.