It's a conspiracy

Extreme back blip.

We went to see conspiracy theorist Rich D Hall this evening. He came to Edinburgh this year which is good as we have had to go to Glasgow and Bannockburn in previous years to see him. 

I rather like conspiracy theories as there is usually if not always something in them that makes me think. After all, you don't have to believe the Earth is being run by reptiloids from zeta reticuli to suspect that you are not being told the truth about things.

I took the opportunity to pick up these books while I was there, rather expecting them to be a little bit bonkers. Scarily they are not bonkers at all. Not even the first one which deals with mind control techniques experimented with by governments and intelligence agencies. There is nothing there that is not now in the public domain (eg LSD experiments, electroshock treatment) I think the only thing I had not heard of elsewhere was the CIA mind control cat where the feline in question had been developed over 5 years and (I think) $15million only to be run down by a taxi driver during its first field test. 

The second book provided lighter relief and talked about advertising, the music industry and so on. For example, the "traditional" diamond engagement ring was invented by the De Beers diamond cartel to sell more diamonds. Although when women picked their own rings they were far too conservative and so the surprise engagement was encouraged where men were expected to show their bride to be how much they loved them by buying the most expensive diamond possible.

In a completely unrelated way, I also recently came across the reason why we wear deodorant

(why is it not possible to close an inserted link? Drives me nuts)

The above tactics are very common by the way. Do customers not need your product? Well then they need to be told that they do. Making them ashamed and anxious is the most common tactic. Do you sweat? Disgusting! Do you have spots? Most repulsive thing possible. Etc.
Pretty despicable really (oh the link has gone now. Why?) I try not to get sucked in but it is hard and "they" know that. See, I told you it was a conspiracy!