ROSSDORF, Germany April 1, 1998 - ARD-Talkmaster Jürgen Fliege is this year's recipient of the "Bent Spoon," which the Society for Scientific Examinination of the Paranormal [Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften (GWUP)] awards each April First for the "most embarassing esoteric silliness."
After landing on Mars in July of last year, the "Pathfinder" probe sent back impressive pictures of the red sands of the gigantic desert covering the planet. Writing in a womens' magazine, Fliege got carried away speculating as to how the astrologers of antiquity already knew about the red color of Mars. He found that the esoteric inspirations of the astrologers were responsible, and considered this as confirmation of astrology: "The people did not undertake their trips of discovery in the external world as we do today, but rather they travelled inwardly, into a world of visions. And what they deep in their souls could bring to consciousness, does agree with the external world.
But really, the solution to the puzzle is quite simple: Any layperson can recognize the red color of Mars by a simple glance into the heavens on a clear night. Esoteric travels "deep into the Soul" are completely unnecessary.
The opinions of Fliege are based on "unbelievable astronomical ignorance," according to the GWUP press spokesperson Bernd Harder, though they are completely typical for the esoteric scene, in which wild speculation often replaces insufficient data.
GWUP, headquartered in Ro_dorf by Darmstadt is the Publisher of the magazine, "Skeptiker," and describes itself as a union of 500 Scientists and other people interested in science. It concerns itself with the critical examination of phenomenen which, in esoteric circles, are usually hastily classified as "unknowable" or "inexplicable."