"Top of the bookies list at odds of 4/5 is the already critically endangered Kemp's Ridley Turtle," Paddy Power said in a late May press release. "In what must be considered spectacularly bad luck, this particular species of turtle migrates to the Gulf of Mexico at this exact time of year," the statement said.
McGraw Hill's web access declines linking to Paddy Power's web site -- and for good reason. A Wikipedia entry on Paddy Power calls it Ireland's largest bookmaker, founded in 1988 by the merger of three existing Irish main street bookmakers. The company also markets its services in the UK and is listed on the Irish and UK stock exchanges. At the end of 2005 Paddy Power operated 195 outlets. In 2008, Paddy Power acquired Northern Ireland independent bookmaker McGranaghan Racing, bringing Paddy Power's shop count to 191 in Ireland.
Wikipedia says the bookmaker "is known for offering odds on controversial markets" in the name of catchy PR -- and you could probably add wagers on US Gulf species extinctions to the stash.
Ahead of placing a bet, might you want to check in and see what a psychic has to say? Alas, some have gone quiet, says irate blogger Benjamin Radford, who calls himself a scientific paranormal investigator, and is also managing editor for Skeptical Inquirer magazine.
"I have to wonder where the hell all the psychics are," Radford groused in a recent posting. "I asked the same thing in a blog a few months ago about the obvious and glaring worthlessness of psychics in helping keep America safe from terrorism, and also in helping earthquake victims in Haiti. Every time an event of national or global importance occurs in which psychic power could prove itself useful in averting or minimizing catastrophe, psychics are conspicuously silent."
"Why didn't at least one psychic come forward to warn the world about this disaster ahead of time? All those New Orleans psychics somehow missed this?"
"Surely out of the thousands and thousands of self-proclaimed psychics, at least one would be able to reliably and consistently give accurate, valid information?" Radford said.
Uhm, not sure I'd bet the house on it.
Leave a comment