Hey, Coldfire!

[JeffB]

I was just reading my issue of mini-AIR about the Ig Nobel prizes. (For those who don’t know, the Ig Nobels are given out for “achievements that cannot or should not be reproduced” by the Annals of Improbable Research.) One item in mini-AIR was this:

Investigator Hans Klamer writes (from The Netherlands):

Browsing through the list of Ig Nobel 2000 award winners, I noticed that the relatively small Dutch scientific community makes a valuable contribution to Improbable Research. Of the 10 fields of science, Dutch researchers claim Physics and Medicine, with three Dutch universities contributing (Groningen, Nijmegen and Amsterdam). Some questions: how come? and: does it mean anything?

If you, dear reader, have a convincing answer to these questions, please send it to <marca@improbable.com>

So, Coldfire, do you have any ideas about the Dutch domination of these awards? Perhaps more importantly, were you involved in the study that won the Ig Nobel prize for Medicine?*

MEDICINE. Willibrord Weijmar Schultz, Pek van Andel, and Eduard Mooyaart of Groningen, The Netherlands, and Ida Sabelis of Amsterdam, for their illuminating report, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Male and Female Genitals During Coitus and Female Sexual Arousal.” [Published in British Medical Journal, vol. 319, 1999, pp 1596-1600.]

*and how can I get involved

[Mr.Cynical]

I think that he might have been involved in this study, actually:

SPANKOLOGY. Anonymous Test Subject “Coldfire”, The Netherlands, a copy of “Hustler”, and a jar of Vaseline for their contribution to the extremely esoteric report, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Male and Genitalia During Post-Bedwetting masturbation.” [Published in Hustler True Stories, 1999, pp 96-160, between the phone sex ads.

Close, but no cigar. I hear he’s up for the Ron Jeremy award, though.

[JeffB]

pp 96-160 – I’m impressed!

[Mr.Cynical]

I’m sure it was due to the frequency. Lotta material to study, don’tchaknow

[magdalene]

Mr. C, may I take this opportunity to return the Bwahahahahahahaha! you’ve so kindly bestowed upon me in the past.

[ReservoirDog]

Well, as long as we’ve got your attention, Coldfire, I just wanted to let you know that Nissan is using Rush’s Tom Sawyer in one of their latest commercials over here in the States, and everytime that one comes on, I think of you.

[Mr.Cynical]

Just in case the Boy Wonder doesn’t trouble himself with page two threads…

BUMP

[Coldfire]

Nissan uses Tom Sawyer? Sheesh. The nerve.

Anyway, to the OP: I have no idea. Apart from the fact that like in real life, scientific research in the Netherlands might encompass a little bit more than abroad, in terms of cultural (or sometimes legal) taboos et cetera.

We’re a weird bunch, and we’re proud of it