Learning the Hard Way

Sometimes people get conned by the most stupid ploys imaginable. In the case of the Iraqis, who've paid $85 million for dowsing rods to "detect" explosives, the cost of getting conned has been not just money, but hundreds of lives. My previous post is here.

There was a good deal of outrage in the skeptical community when it was reported that the Iraqis were using these devices. Most of the time, supernatural beliefs in dowsing, ghosts, psychics and such continue unabated because it's hard for believers to see that they aren't real. But in this case, the evidence of hundreds of dead Iraqis, killed by explosives that made it past these ridiculous devices was impossible to ignore. At least in England. They've banned the export of the devices and arrested the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, the true believers in Iraq are undaunted. While the Prime Minister has ordered an investigation, they continue to use the device, thus ensuring more deaths to add to the cost.