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COOKED

Overwhelmed by heat during a “cleansing session” inside a steam dome, Rowan Cooke was hauled free by his new age pals and carefully revived. Not:

Participants in a ritualistic ceremony danced, chanted and played drums while one of their friends lay dying from heat exhaustion, an inquest has heard.

They weren’t doing this because they didn’t care about the dying man; they were doing it because they were trying to call Cooke’s conscious self back to his earthly body during what was assumed to be an astral travelling episode. He died the next morning.

Posted by Tim B. on 06/05/2007 at 03:07 AM
  1. Is this another one of those cultural things?

    Posted by saltydog on 2007 06 05 at 03:13 AM • permalink

  2. Or is it okay to be upset at the return of the primitive?

    Posted by saltydog on 2007 06 05 at 03:14 AM • permalink

  3. Sure The Age will say that Cooke died from global warming despite the dancing, chanting and drums.

    Posted by Contrail on 2007 06 05 at 03:30 AM • permalink

  4. How can they be sure he’s dead? Maybe it was a really long astral journey, an astral wanderjahre.

    Posted by Harry Eagar on 2007 06 05 at 03:38 AM • permalink

  5. To top it all off, the stupid pricks bags got lost in transit and the Nirvana Hilton failed to keep his reservation.

    Posted by Infidel Tiger on 2007 06 05 at 03:46 AM • permalink

  6. The remedy is obvious to all that can see.
    These chaps are infested with demons brought down onto them from the hole created by the traveler’s departing spirit.

    To cure them, first they must be tied to a post and whipped. Whipping should continue until the unfortunate chaps pass out. This removes the demon from control of their conscious mind.

    Next they must be submerged in water until their breathing stops. This prevents the demon from seizing their unconscious mind.

    Finally, the remains should be burned in a public celebration. This prevents the demons from returning through the hole left by the chaps departed spirits.

    Anyone at the celebration that is either celebrating too hard or not hard enough is also probably infested with demons and in need of the cure.

    Posted by Grimmy on 2007 06 05 at 03:47 AM • permalink

  7. He had travelled with 10 other Victorians to the Gammon Ranges in late October 2004 on a “Vision Quest” led by a “new age healer”, David Jarvis

    Not much of a healer - did he forget his crystals and wind chimes?

    Posted by bondo on 2007 06 05 at 03:47 AM • permalink

  8. He’ll save on headstone engraving.

    R.I.P.

    Posted by ilibcc on 2007 06 05 at 03:48 AM • permalink

  9. Wonder what was smoked during the “pipe ceremony”.

    Dr. Pat’s products? Hmmm….Probably not.

    Posted by LaoHuLi on 2007 06 05 at 03:54 AM • permalink

  10. Global warming? Think of it as

    a “cleansing session” inside a steam dome

    Posted by kae on 2007 06 05 at 03:57 AM • permalink

  11. These people don’t strike me as likely Howard voters…

    Posted by Villeurbanne on 2007 06 05 at 03:59 AM • permalink

  12. Was Bryn Law there?

    Posted by Hanyu on 2007 06 05 at 04:00 AM • permalink

  13. “It was not until several hours later, at daybreak when the acid wore off, that two members of the group realised Mr Cooke was critically ill”

    Posted by bondo on 2007 06 05 at 04:01 AM • permalink

  14. Other members of the group then found Mr Cooke and Mr Asfar unconscious inside the “steam lodge” and dragged them outside, where six blankets were put over Mr Cooke.

    That’d help.

    Posted by Mike_W on 2007 06 05 at 04:03 AM • permalink

  15. Rowan Cooke was hauled free by his new age pals and carefully revived

    Yeah right, one did mouth to mouth while the rest did “hand to wallet”

    Posted by surfmaster on 2007 06 05 at 04:14 AM • permalink

  16. Steamed vegies ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 06 05 at 04:16 AM • permalink

  17. Man, that whole “karma” things a bitch.

    Posted by CB on 2007 06 05 at 04:26 AM • permalink

  18. Steamed vegies

    Nah, I don’t like overcooked vegies.

    Posted by kae on 2007 06 05 at 04:30 AM • permalink

  19. Before rabid lefties spin up in mouth-frothing frenzy about the harsh and callous pricks at Blair’s comment threads, this is not a celebration of the death of man. This poor bastard was essentially left to die by introspective, self-obsessed dickheads who couldn’t discern the difference between heat illness leading to death, and a metaphysical concept known as “astral travel”. Here’s hoping the judge jails the &*%#‘s for manslaughter.

    Posted by CB on 2007 06 05 at 04:30 AM • permalink

  20. I like hippies and their propensity for proving Charles Darwin correct time after time.

    Posted by jpaulg on 2007 06 05 at 04:34 AM • permalink

  21. #16 Steamed veges


    Maybe some “cultivated” mushrooms.

    Posted by Spag_oz on 2007 06 05 at 04:35 AM • permalink

  22. #15 & 21

    The certainly made a meal of it.

    Posted by kae on 2007 06 05 at 04:41 AM • permalink

  23. Shouldn’t have taken the shortcut at Betelgeuse. You always end up at Orion and the locals there never give straight answers when you ask them how to get back.

    Posted by Dminor on 2007 06 05 at 04:48 AM • permalink

  24. How not to treat ones esteamed colleagues ...

    Extreme climate change workshop?

    OK, who dropped the toxic lentil fart?

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 06 05 at 04:49 AM • permalink

  25. #19 CB Of course we aren’t celebrating the man’s death. That would just be wrong. We’re celebrating his successful permanent transcendental experience.  Good on you Rowan!  May he be an example to all other new agers.

    Posted by Texas Bob on 2007 06 05 at 04:58 AM • permalink

  26. Their karma ran over his dogma?

    Posted by blogstrop on 2007 06 05 at 04:59 AM • permalink

  27. #22
    A recipe for disaster ...

    Posted by egg_ on 2007 06 05 at 05:15 AM • permalink

  28. Their karma ran over his dogma?

    No it swerved and ran over his lentil soup, which he just happened to be eating at the time :-)

    Posted by surfmaster on 2007 06 05 at 05:17 AM • permalink

  29. I ran tours up there in the Gammon Rangers and i can tell you it can get that hot that somtimes japanese backpackers would just burst into flames,I recall us tour guides going WHAT THE FUCK were these twats thinking…

    As we used to say, COMMON SENCE ,don’t know why the call it that bcause its not that COMMON.

    Posted by sparrow on 2007 06 05 at 05:26 AM • permalink

  30. Why do we need an inquest to tell us that these people are knob-throtling numbnuts?

    For $50,000, I could have divined a cup of tea leaves and handed down that finding.

    Thank you, thank you.

    Posted by mr creosote on 2007 06 05 at 05:35 AM • permalink

  31. Is there a lefist version of the Darwin Awards?

    Posted by Nic on 2007 06 05 at 05:37 AM • permalink

  32. See now, there’s no danger in getting your metaphysics wrong.  Philosophy: Who needs it!

    Posted by saltydog on 2007 06 05 at 05:51 AM • permalink

  33. “We are always only one generation away from barbarism”.

    In this case we are not talking about the sort of barbarian that sacked Rome.  That would be too wierd even for a Monty Python script.

    Posted by Brett_McS on 2007 06 05 at 06:10 AM • permalink

  34. Whilst I refuse to laugh at the man’s death, it’s manner has me pissing myself. WTF?
    A ‘cleansing ceremony’?
    Bathing regularly would probably be a better option, though probably not one likely to be a hit with these witless idiots.

    Posted by 185600 on 2007 06 05 at 06:37 AM • permalink

  35. And you know what… Well I’ll tell you. The corruption of the word metaphysics pisses me off. It’s supposed to describe a field of philosophy with subjects such as ontology and the study of first principles etc but has been turned into some wishy washy catch all by these no-nothing new age loons. I hope they bang this blokes supposed friends up for negligent homicide or something. Or at least criminal damage to language.

    Posted by Francis H on 2007 06 05 at 06:49 AM • permalink

  36. I bet it took a lot of courage to risk someone else’s life on their confident rejection of western wisdoms.

    Definitely Darwin in action.

    Posted by Penguin on 2007 06 05 at 07:06 AM • permalink

  37. And it’s freaks like that who are running around in circles waving their hands about telling us that gerbil warmening is coming?

    Jesus wept.

    Posted by darrinhV2 on 2007 06 05 at 08:40 AM • permalink

  38. If they wanted to be cleansed, they could have simply knocked off a tube of metamucil.

    Posted by mr creosote on 2007 06 05 at 08:51 AM • permalink

  39. #18 Kae:

    Steamed vegies
    Nah, I don’t like overcooked vegies.

    That’s the major source of disagreement between Mr Crossie and me.  I like them firm and he likes them mushy.  Answer: he gets to enjoy bubble and squeak.

    Posted by Crossie on 2007 06 05 at 09:16 AM • permalink

  40. What a bunch of idiots.

    Posted by The_Real_JeffS on 2007 06 05 at 09:39 AM • permalink

  41. This may be a minor point, but I am trying to figure out exactly what this ceremony consisted of, maybe someone here can help, it says:

    They would then leave the campsite and sit in circles on their own for 24 hours,

    Can someone tell me how one sits on one’s own in a circle?  Only thing I can figure is they had their heads stuck up… well you get the idea.  Given the end result, this seems like a good assumption.

    Posted by Not My Problem on 2007 06 05 at 09:43 AM • permalink

  42. Oh! I see, perhaps they meant that they drew circles and sat in the middle…

    Posted by Not My Problem on 2007 06 05 at 09:44 AM • permalink

  43. It’s pretty nasty, considering how terrible they smell raw. Steaming them can’t possibly make it better. Blech.

    Posted by Texas Bob on 2007 06 05 at 09:47 AM • permalink

  44. Is there a lefist version of the Darwin Awards?

    Yes, but after reciting each example of mortal stupidity, you must reflexively chant <i>“in George Bush’s Amerika!”</a>

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 06 05 at 10:21 AM • permalink

  45. Sheer dumbassery. Everyone knows that your astral self can’t get out of the body in an environment where the humidity is above 86.4%. Amateurs.

    This is what happens when you trivialize the physical power of religious ceremony. Never, never, NEVER, mix Amerindian Hunt Rituals with Hindu Apocropha.

    Posted by brett_l on 2007 06 05 at 10:30 AM • permalink

  46. A leftie, addicted to sweat huts
    was broiled by his fey fellow health nuts
    Pulled him out of the steam
    then the whole hippie team
    spent the night with their thumbs up their own butts

    Posted by Carl H on 2007 06 05 at 11:01 AM • permalink

  47. Next time, boys, after a good stew in the hut, remember to use the Perdurable Astral Collander Offscourer. While the soul is out gallivanting in the ether, the body’s pores can drain away the heat and dirt through the hundreds of precision drilled holes in the cool, form-fitting human collander.

    Posted by paco on 2007 06 05 at 11:08 AM • permalink

  48. My astral self wants a Snickers bar.

    Posted by Merlin on 2007 06 05 at 11:09 AM • permalink

  49. Participants in a ritualistic ceremony danced, chanted and played drums

    Soon to be incorporated into all “An Inconvenient Truth” presentations, as well.

    Posted by PW on 2007 06 05 at 11:12 AM • permalink

  50. “new age healer”, David Jarvis, ought to be held liable at any rate, since he was the one supposedly in charge of this dog and pony show.  Why are Australians practicing North American Indian rites anyway?  Don’t the aborigines have a grand array of spiritual mumbo-jumbo to play with?

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2007 06 05 at 11:34 AM • permalink

  51. #11 Dylan:  “These people don’t strike me as likely Howard voters…”

    These people don’t strike me as sane.

    Posted by Barbara Skolaut on 2007 06 05 at 11:38 AM • permalink

  52. #50: I’m sure there’s some kind of historical link. Probably when the Muslims first settled Australia - you know, before the English - they brought along some Cherokees that they had picked up after being driven from the New World califate in Tennessee.

    Posted by paco on 2007 06 05 at 11:50 AM • permalink

  53. It’s pretty warm where I live, though not as warm as parts of Australia, and people here bake (not steam) themselves in sweat lodges all the time.

    But they don’t—and the Indians didn’t—use 20th c. insulating blankets to seal their sweat lodges.

    Posted by Harry Eagar on 2007 06 05 at 12:45 PM • permalink

  54. I feel for that poor man and his family.  I hope his family sues David Jarvis and his company, but they probably will get only a few used drums and a vat of pachouli. 

    Elizabeth
    Imperial Keeper

    Posted by Elizabeth Imperial Keeper on 2007 06 05 at 12:47 PM • permalink

  55. #53 HE:
    I also have participated in a sweat, and wouldn’t have thought that using the 100% moisture retaining insulating blankets would be a good idea. Even leather breathes a little, and every bit counts. Also, there’s a reason that the Natives used one big sweat lodge and not a bunch of little ones. Thus proving that for thousands of years, Indians have been smarter than moonbats.

    ...And these yahoos want me to let them muck with the climate? Hit the peace pipe less.

    Posted by brett_l on 2007 06 05 at 02:00 PM • permalink

  56. #54 Elizabeth wins the Snark of the Day™ award!  :-D

    Posted by Barbara Skolaut on 2007 06 05 at 03:11 PM • permalink

  57. Here’s a video of “New age healer” David Jarvis on location, explaining his “Vision Quest”.

    Posted by JAFA on 2007 06 05 at 03:15 PM • permalink

  58. #39 Crossie

    Bubble & Squeak. Yerk. Leftovers. (Overcooked veggies).

    Posted by kae on 2007 06 05 at 05:23 PM • permalink

  59. #39
    And oh, I just think that this particular veggie was overcooked. Steamed veggies are OK, just not if they’re overcooked.

    Posted by kae on 2007 06 05 at 05:29 PM • permalink

  60. It was a real nice clambake…

    Posted by kiwinews on 2007 06 05 at 06:48 PM • permalink

  61. Wouldn’t that be steamed vagan?

    After 250 years of the Enlightenment and 400 of the Scientific Revolution, we have the picture of a bunch of presumably educated people doing a tribal ceremony and, when that led to heatstroke for one of them, they acted like a bunch of witch doctors to try to “cure” him.  Stick a fork in Western Civilization, it’s done.  We might as well surrender to the Islamofascists now.  At least they want to go back only to Medieval times, not to the Stone Age. 

    What do these clowns do when their kids get sick?  Do they call in a witch doctor, put crystals in the bed, try to cure scarlet fever with an antidote to the Evil Eye they got our of some New Age magazine?  That this pagan superstition should be practiced in the age of modern medicine is a scandal and an affront.

    Posted by Michael Lonie on 2007 06 05 at 10:39 PM • permalink

  62. #19- Gotta disagree CB, I think yet another hippy dip/new age twonk buying the farm in a spectacularly idiotic way that reflects the daffy, atavistic nature of their chosen lifestyle and belief system is much funnier than seeing anti-globalisation protesters in Nikes, Benneton and Gap, drinking Evian, and adds a goodly dose of chlorine to the gene pool.

    Posted by Habib on 2007 06 05 at 10:43 PM • permalink

  63. Paco—did you know if you turn the Offscourer exactly one quarter turn widdershins, all the little holes perform an instant exorcism?

    Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 06 05 at 11:45 PM • permalink

  64. Actually I reckon it’s a pity they weren’t sharing the wigwam with this bloke- could’ve saved a lot of explaining. Burp.

    Posted by Habib on 2007 06 06 at 12:12 AM • permalink

  65. so rowan cooke really was cooked…

    Posted by vinny on 2007 06 06 at 03:03 AM • permalink

  66. #62, Nah, just a sop to civil convention. I reckon this pelican is a shoo-in for a Darwin.

    Posted by CB on 2007 06 06 at 04:07 AM • permalink

  67. #65 - lightly steamed on a bed of nails.

    Posted by blogstrop on 2007 06 06 at 07:53 AM • permalink

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