Congratulations are due to Gentle Reader Wayman for his correct prediction that the research on Sword Swallowing and its side effects would win an Ig Nobel. In fact, is presumably winning it as we speak.
Well done, Wayman. Well done, Mssrs Witcombe and Meyer. Well done, British Medical Journal. Well done, sword swallowers. Well done, everybody.
Is it Simchat Torah yet?
Tolerabimus quod tolerare debemus,
-Vardibidian.
Wow, I read the Ig Nobel results (on the BBC of all places) late last night, thought this seemed vaguely familiar, but had no recollection I’d made that comment 🙂
The Been wrote a great pithy summary of the winning Linguistics article: “A University of Barcelona team for showing that rats are unable to tell the difference between a person speaking Japanese backwards and somebody speaking Dutch backwards.” The article itself didn’t quite live up to the humor value I was expecting from this; it’s actually a pretty serious article.
This, however, is truly ingenious. I wonder why nobody had ever thought of it before, or perhaps why nobody at the Patent Office has ever seen an episode of Scooby Doo.
… and by “Been” I meant “Beeb” as in BBC. They’re definitely not “has beens”!
From your linked patent application
2. Description of the Prior Art
Because of economic conditions, many crimes occur, especially robberies.
Commie!
Thanks,
-V.