Sometimes I read articles which seem to prove the existence of parallel universes. What I am curious about however is how does my web browser manage to access them from within this universe? I really must drop David Deutsch an e-mail and ask him to theorise.
For example, see this article sent from some alternate Earth, called ‘Britain counts cost of diplomatic furore over Berezovsky‘ (I apologise if the transdimensional shift causes your browser to crash):
The furore also probably extinguishes any hope that Russia will agree to let suspects be extradited to Britain over the London poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko
So by this I can only assume that some people think that if only Britain was ‘nicer’ to the Russian regime, there was at some point a ‘hope’ that the Russian leadership might allow the UK to extradite the people who could confirm the already obvious fact that the Russian state ordered Russian agents to assassinate Alexander Litvinenko in London.
Yes, I am sure the Russian authorities are really keen to do that. Not in this universe, of course, but I am sure that must be true in some other universe otherwise how else would it end up in a newspaper article?
I am fairly sure it is too late for an April Fool and I cannot detect humour at work in the writing so no doubt journalists Patrick Wintour and Laura Smith, the ones in this universe that is, are rather bemused by this transdimensional strangeness from their alter-egos from the universe in which politeness and pliability by Her Majesty’s Government can be expected to get Russian leaders to implicate themselves in murders on British soil.
I have no idea where this idea that powerbrokers of varying degrees of morality will do what we want if only we are nice to them came from – but its an exceedingly dangerous notion.
Seems to be some part of the human psyche that has a lot to a common with the ostrich…
Perry, perhaps you have access to a quantum computer? They operate by performing their calculations across many parallel “universes”. (Although they’re actually perpendicular to one another and in a single universe.)
I was going to comment on the Russian thing, but then I realised you were quoting from the Guardian. What are you reading that for? Masochism? 😉
We do not assume that criminals (of the individual variety) will mend their ways if we are nice to them, why then do we apply such fallacious logic to criminal states?
Iran, Russia, Zimbabwe, and all the rest have no respect for niceness, they see it as a sign of weakness. To be nice to them is the equivalent of lying on our backs with our bellies in the air saying “You’re so strong, there’s no point fighting you, please don’t disembowel me.”
I learned the hard way that being nice to bullies doesn’t get you anywhere, smacking them across the nose with a rolled up newspaper (metaphorically speaking) gets you at least a modicum of respect.
Not only should we not extradite Mr Berezovsky, we should be throwing as much support as we can behind his efforts to get rid of Putin and his, literally it may seem, poisonous regime.
I love the idea that Putin would extradite himself, if only we will hand over Mr B.
As others have said above – perhaps Comrade Bob will do the same.
Pa Annoyed has a point about reading the Guardian. Still I suppose it is usefull to know what such people are “thinking”.
I’m glad it’s only a parallel dimension, and not this one! Still, it’s amusing to see what virtual others are doing next door, so to speak. If it’s that polite a Universe, maybe we can move there! Perhaps the Hogwarts Express will take us there, between trips from London and back. Is the Prime Minister Harry Potter?