Doppel's Dementia

This is just crazy, an HOA decided to fine a couple for displaying a holiday wreath that looks like a peace sign.

Homeowners’ Association President Bob Kearns said Wednesday that the board had required another resident to remove peace symbols a week before, and that property owner complied.

Jensen said the other property owner, a neighbor, had sunk skis marked with peace symbols in his driveway as driveway markers. She said the neighbor told her he was informed that residents were offended by the posting of the peace symbols “while our country is at war.”

Apparently even though we are fighting for peace in Iraq it’s not okay to show your feelings about peace here at home. They want to fine her $25/day until she takes it down. It’s too bad the other neighbor caved in and took down their peace symbols.

And talk about ham-fisted rulers:

On Wednesday, every member of the subdivision’s five-person Architectural Control Committee was asked to resign when they collectively opposed the decision by the board of directors to fine Jensen and Trimarco.

I guess when others call you on your stupidity the only logical reaction is to get rid of them (rather then listen to what they have to say.)

Peace Wreath Creates Stir

I saw a story in my Reuters news feed on my Palm about a guy in Vienna who mistakenly tried to rob the town hall thinking it was a bank. In trying to find the original story at Reuters (which I never did) I ran across this one at vienna-life.com which is even better.

There have been so many strange bank robber stories floating around over the last few months that we’re beginning to wonder whether it’s all an extended April Fool.

First there was the fellow who tried to hold up the Town Hall in Poggersdorf under the mistaken belief that it was a bank. (He’d spotted a cash-point outside and made a crucial error of judgement). He was arrested – empty-handed – fleeing on his motor-bike.

Next came the Viennese villain who joined a bank queue dressed as an Egyptian Mummy. When his turn came round, the Mummy demanded a fortune, quietly informing the flabbergasted clerk that a grenade was hidden in his bandages, and that if cash was not forthcoming…..

Finally, last week news broke that an impoverished Viennese toy-shop owner had tried to hold up a bank with a water pistol. All was going fine until the security guard spotted a flaw. Namely, that the deadly weapon was suspiciously similar to one that he’d played with as a four-year-old nipper. The hapless thief’s plan was foiled, and he was bundled to the ground.

Next week, if you see someone walking down the street dressed as Batman, remember that he may not actually be on his way to a fancy dress party – he’s probably a hardened criminal.

Is there something in the water in Vienna?

Yes it’s true, according to this story by Reuters.

Police swooped last week after two groups of strippers gave “obscene performances” at a farmer’s funeral in Donghai County, Jiangsu province, Xinhua news agency said.

The disrobing served a higher purpose, the report noted.

Damn those strippers for being obscene. Apparently the more people who attend your funeral the more the dead person is honored so rich families hire one or even two troupes of strippers to bolster attendance.

I understand that “The swastika has its roots in ancient Indian Hindu tradition and remains a sacred symbol for Hindus” but come on, how could anyone in the year 2006 in any country think naming their restaurant “Hitler’s Cross” would be a good idea?

Says the owner:

“We are not promoting Hitler. But we want to tell people we are different in the way he was different.”

I initially found this story at MSNBC but then found a better one at the India Times here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1906370.cms

This one has an even better quote from an Indian actor named Murli Sharma:

“I found the huge posters of Hitler at the restaurant amusing. That’s all I can say,” he told TOI over phone.

When asked if he felt disturbed by the name of the restaurant, Sharma said: “I am not really agitated as I have not read much about the man (Hitler). However, from what I know about Hitler, I find this name rather amusing.”

I guess that’s how someone could choose a name like that, if they never studied 20th century world history. I can’t believe that people from this guy’s country went off to war against Hitler and he doesn’t really have a clue why.

I have a great M.C. Escher calendar that has artwork for the weekdays and quotes on the weekend. This last weekend had a quote I liked:

Order is repetition of units. Chaos is multiplicity without rhythm.

This is especially applicable to his tesselation artwork.