"The faulty compass marks have been immediately corrected. It is a mystery for us how this could have possibly happened".

Looks like some one else has had enough of the PC crap. ROFLMAO

Posted by: Had.Enough at April 13, 2007 10:34 AM

Where do you even begin with a story like this - I laughed so hard I almost ruptured something.

Clearly, its difficult to imagine how someone can get such a simple piece of painting wrong (rather like the london tube station which has MNID THE GAP on a platform edge). So it looks suspiciously like sabotage to me, some dry-witted Dutch sign painter striking a blow for sanity.

Posted by: Jesus Worshipping Zionist at April 13, 2007 10:37 AM

"This is a really gigantic, stupid blunder," a police spokesman said to the De Telegraaf.

Yeah-this whole compass painting nonsense was a gigantic and stupid blunder from the very start.

Posted by: ISLAMSFORLOSERS at April 13, 2007 10:48 AM

...Does this mean they were actually praying to George Bush?..........

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 10:56 AM

ALLLLAAAAAAHHHH DUUUUBBBBYYYYAA...

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 10:57 AM

Sounds like a great april fools joke. Too bad the inmates won't see the humor in this.

Posted by: GuitarBob at April 13, 2007 11:01 AM

Oh, that's just funny!

Posted by: Josephine at April 13, 2007 11:04 AM

Next time somebody paints a compass directed toward Mecca they need to write under it "HOME-Stay there".

Posted by: ISLAMSFORLOSERS at April 13, 2007 11:14 AM

"Next time somebody paints a compass directed toward Mecca they need to write under it "HOME-Stay there".

Posted by: ISLAMSFORLOSERS"

...or "This way to Hell"...

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 11:20 AM

I am trying to visualize the world map. I do not think that facing due east is the correct direction to Mecca from the Netherlands anyway. They might be praying toward Petersburg. I am not going to look at a map to verify my claim because I do not care.

Posted by: Pelayo at April 13, 2007 11:28 AM

I don't think I'll ever stop laughing at this.

Posted by: No To Islam! at April 13, 2007 11:32 AM

Wow, a magnet in the right hands could cause all sorts of trouble. Bullets, Beans and Magnets who would have thunk it?

Posted by: tgusa at April 13, 2007 11:33 AM

I agree, it doesn't sound like a blunder, it sounds like something I might do if I thought I could get away with it.

I am going to re-tell something I observed at a reataurant near Blythe, California. We were on our way to LA when we stopped at a restaurant for R&R and food. It was late afternoon, and I saw five men get out of a van. They were looking at a map and pointing in five different directions. The eldest finally decided the proper direction. They spread out their mats in the parking lot and began pointing their posteriors into the air. I spread out my map and concluded that they were praying in the direction of Las Vegas, Nevada. I nearly choked on my bacon cheeseburger.

Posted by: Pelayo at April 13, 2007 11:38 AM

No to islam,
This story on your blog needs to be seen.
http://notoislam.blogspot.com/2007/04/fancy-some-urine-with-your-beer.html

Posted by: interestinconundrum at April 13, 2007 11:44 AM

expect moderate muslims to scream, hiss and bomb the dutch for this obvious act of "islamophobia". oh and mass riots in islamabad and indonesia resulting in innocent muslim women and kids getting shot/raped/beheaded for this act of european blasphomy.

)

Posted by: leonthepigfarmer at April 13, 2007 11:51 AM

Looks like whoever worked on it may have read Hugh's suggestion yesterday.

Pelayo, LV sounds correct - it seems that from most places in the US, one would have to face NE in order to go through the longitude that runs through Mecca and its antipode. These Muslims, and others, have so much to thank Mohammed for for reducing their salats from 500 (or was it 50? I forget, but who cares?) times to 5.

Robert

I heard you on Lee Rodgers this morning, and chuckled on hearing this news which you mentioned. And I admire Lee for covering the wide breadth of topics in that time-frame.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 13, 2007 11:53 AM

"I spread out my map and concluded that they were praying in the direction of Las Vegas, Nevada. "

....at least they were showing the proper respect in the correct direction..

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 11:57 AM

Hey, the world is a globe. If they were praying in the "opposite" direction, they were simply praying to Mecca the long way around.

Posted by: Conservatarian at April 13, 2007 11:59 AM

Piss Beer is only the tip of the iceberg, that’s ok though I never go anywhere w/o some salami with which to smear all over the place. Its invisible and guaranteed to send the islamists where they don’t want to go. Hate crime? No, I love salami.

Never frequent any of their businesses it is not worth taking chances.

Posted by: tgusa at April 13, 2007 12:05 PM

Where do they get the money to open up all these businesses anyway?

Posted by: Allahfanculo at April 13, 2007 12:13 PM

Conservatarian

Islam still believes in the flat earth, so your theory, while correct geographically, would be Islamically incorrect.

Of course, trying to plot the flat-earth direction towards Mecca, given that the earth is a globe, would be an interesting exercise to witness in itself.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 13, 2007 12:16 PM

Infidel Pride, since Mohammed believed that the Earth was flat. There are not antipodes in Islam.

Just where would Mecca's antipode be? I would hate to be there because everywhere one turns, one is facing Mecca. Just curious, I'm too lazy today to find out for myself.

Posted by: Pelayo at April 13, 2007 12:17 PM

Infidel Pride, since Mohammed believed that the Earth was flat. There are not antipodes in Islam. by Pelayo

Islam still believes in the flat earth, so your theory, while correct geographically, would be Islamically incorrect. By Infidel Pride

One of us is telepathic, and it's not me.

Posted by: Pelayo at April 13, 2007 12:21 PM

Hate crime. Hate crime. Hate crime. A really good one.

Posted by: pez at April 13, 2007 12:24 PM

Does this mean that the black meteorite in the Kaaba didn't hear those prayers?

Posted by: Provoslavni at April 13, 2007 12:54 PM

Maybe it was a poltergeist by the name of Vincent Van Gogh who is responsible for the botched painting job. One large insult for all of those Muslim prisoners and one small step to avenge the bloody, brutal death of his descendant, Theo Van Gogh.

Posted by: maryrose at April 13, 2007 1:21 PM

Pity some big mouth had to tell them. These inmates were probably facing New York - or even Tel Aviv.

Posted by: Spirit Of 1683 at April 13, 2007 1:23 PM

"Does this mean that the black meteorite in the Kaaba didn't hear those prayers?

Posted by: Provoslavni ""

...I, too, believe the black rock to be a metorite....

....I have seen metorites on the ground and in Museums...many are indeed, black, and all have fallen from the sky...

....those 7th century, not being educated in interplanetary studies or of cosmic events would have indeed, been impressed by a flaming object crashing to their neighborhood ...

....not knowing what to do...one impoverished caravan raider shouted ....Allllaaaahhh AAAkkkkbaaarr.....we must protect this object and pray to it .... it is a sign from GOD.....

...OK, fellas, enough of this , lets catch up with that caravan,,they have lots of gold and women to rape....

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 1:23 PM

"This is a really gigantic, stupid blunder," a police spokesman said to the De Telegraaf.

Dhimmism always is

Posted by: Elric66 at April 13, 2007 1:39 PM

If Europe is so infidel, so corrupt so bad that they have to come here because their countries are all as above and worse then they should immigrate to Mecca, don't they allow immigrants their are they not as kind? So now a prison is Mecca-nised too, what dishonour what brought them there in the first place, their religion that made them loopy and extreme maybe?

Do we get all the rejects in Europe that not even their nations see as fit either? As hard as it sounds it's true, sometimes the mentally ill get dumped in Europe because they are seen as too much trouble to handle seen by their own people as they know their neighbours might kill them, maybe because they lack the term 'treat your neighbour as your self'.

Posted by: jesusisthelamb at April 13, 2007 1:42 PM

I would have painted the arrows pointing down.

Posted by: Elric66 at April 13, 2007 1:44 PM

"I would have painted the arrows pointing down.

Posted by: Elric66 "

...to the urinal...

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 2:35 PM

...to the urinal...

Posted by: exsgtbrown at April 13, 2007 02:35 PM

LOL With a pic of Mo on it

Posted by: Elric66 at April 13, 2007 2:40 PM

I thought everything happens just as Allah willed it. Either he wanted them praying in the wrong direction, or we crafty infidels have once again subverted the will of Allah.

Posted by: special_guest at April 13, 2007 3:26 PM

Next those crazy Dutch will make them all wear teeshirts with the legend:

"I'm with Stupid." ^

and the arrow pointing straight up.

Posted by: MP at April 13, 2007 4:11 PM

"Does this mean that the black meteorite in the Kaaba didn't hear those prayers?"

well the world is round so it seems like even if they were facing west the prayers would get to the meteorite eventually. I'm sure the meteorite wasn't too offended. you never know though so I'm glad they fixed it. I wouldn't want a meteorite on my bad side!

Posted by: kelisw at April 13, 2007 4:14 PM

LOL, this is hilarious. I'm surprised no riots broke out, however.

Posted by: Witch-king of Angmar at April 13, 2007 4:26 PM

Maybe they should behead the offenders?

Fight dhimmitude and visit http://www.masada1234.blogspot.com !

Posted by: bar kochba at April 13, 2007 5:16 PM

Maybe they should behead the offenders?

Fight dhimmitude and visit http://www.masada1234.blogspot.com !

Posted by: bar kochba at April 13, 2007 5:16 PM

"This is a really gigantic, stupid blunder," a police spokesman said to the De Telegraaf.

The police spokesman is a klootzak. In proper Dutch.

http://www.buzzworks.nl/?page=product&cat_id=1&id=416

Posted by: Allahfanculo at April 13, 2007 5:25 PM

I am a member of the Religion of DADA!

I demand all urinals be hung upside down.

Posted by: Allahfanculo at April 13, 2007 5:27 PM

Pelayo

Telepathy ain't my thing either (it has to be you - you posted a minute after I did). Anyway, according to National Geographic, who addressed this pressing item in an issue some years ago, the antipode of Mecca is somewhere in the S Pacific, near New Zealand, but in the ocean. So unless one is on a ship at that spot, one is unlikely to be in that predicament. But if such a place were a spot on land, we could have organized one way trips for all Muslims there, so that they could face centrifugally outwards, and all face Mecca.

Of course, like you point out, since Mohammed believed in a flat earth, logically, it should prevent Muslims from using those longitudinal directions. But logic has never been a strong suit with Islam, with the result that Muslims in Dearborn (according to NG) use this method to determine the Qibla. Since that's the case, the antipode - were it to be land - should be the perfect place to send all Muslims.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 13, 2007 5:31 PM

'But if such a place were a spot on land, we could have organized one way trips for all Muslims there, so that they could face centrifugally outwards, and all face Mecca.' (Infidel Pride, above).

I don't see why this spot being at sea should make any difference. Let's organise the trips anyway!

Posted by: Aardvark at April 13, 2007 6:12 PM

But if such a place were a spot on land, we could have organized one way trips for all Muslims there, so that they could face centrifugally outwards, and all face Mecca.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 13, 2007 05:31 PM

***

I can see where there would be an advantage in never risking Allah's wrath by praying in the wrong direction, but how would one position the toilets?

Posted by: CJ at April 13, 2007 7:41 PM

CJ

That's the beauty of this solution. Either hold it in, or blaspheme! (Also note that when one relieves oneself, the distance between that and Mecca would be the shortest, since the earth is elliptical in shape.)

Aardvark's suggestion ain't too bad either. But that's it for my Meccan geography for a day.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 13, 2007 8:18 PM

Are prisoners in Guantanamo kept in plain white rooms, with no designation of compass direction, and with no windows to allow the sun to assist in obtaining bearings? Are they blindfolded and then spun until they lose all sense of direction, before they are put into their featurless cells, a differently-facing cell each day? Or is that too much to ask? Would that qualify as "inhumane torture"?

Of course, Elric66 is right, all's they need to do is lay facedown on the floor and they'll be facing Allah in the pits of H*ll.

Posted by: special_guest at April 13, 2007 8:59 PM

Ironic, isn't it.

They want a big arrow so they can pray towards Mecca. Then they want toilets facing in such a way that they can pee without facing mecca. Then they want free korans, and halal meals. Then they want prayer rugs, and someone to call out the times for prayer. Then they want only male guards, so their "privacy" isn't violated. Then they want their Koran respected, and not touched by non-muslims. And finally, they demand separate cells where they are not forced to live with non-muslims.

And, at that point, it will be EXACTLY LIKE GUANTANAMO!!

Posted by: texan at April 13, 2007 10:41 PM

When are they going to rearrange the toilets so that they don't face Mecca?

Posted by: DavidE at April 13, 2007 11:00 PM

Mecca Arabia's antipode is 21d 25' 21"s 39d 49'34"w, about 70 miles off the coast of Brazil. NE of (appropriately) Rio.

Posted by: Charles Bogle at April 13, 2007 11:14 PM

Whether this was or was not a real blunder and whether or not the police's outrage was feigned, I love it. I hope their outrage was feigned. I would love to see a scenario in which the police looked the other way while their own did such mischievous things and then when confronted lied through their teeth and said "oh No! How terrible!" Seriously, who could actually have a real moral problem with messing with the superstitions of 7th century barbarians sworn to destroy one's entire and much more advanced civilization? More of this please. Bring on the head games. Play good cop-bad cop so that bad cop paints the compass in one direction and then good cop informs the devout that bad cop was messing with him and that good cop will set it straight and then later let it be revealed that good cop was merely practicing "war is deceit" headgames and that bad cop had painted the thing correctly in the first place and good cop had reversed it. Or even play it by the book but spread rumours that prisoners are being deceived when they aren't even. Mess with their heads in other words, behind the scenes (their heads only!) and ALWAYS but ALWAYS claim ignorance with the most practiced PC straightface. Let THEM wonder for a change when they are being told the truth and when they are being lied to. Mess with their heads. It's their most vulnerable point...

Posted by: Caroline at April 13, 2007 11:47 PM

Pelayo, I got stuck in Blythe, California years ago and I will never forget that godforsaken place! As best I recall, Blythe consisted of one restaurant, one gas station, one grocery store, and one circa 1940 motel. We had just picked up a new helicopter from the Hughes factory in LA and were on our way back to Georgia. The generator went out in flight but we kept going until we got low on fuel and landed in Blythe. Blythe actually had a small airport and jet fuel, but it didn't make much difference because without a generator, the helicopter couldn't be restarted and we had to spend the night.

It must have been 130 degrees in the shade and even at night, the wind was hot and felt like a furnace blowing in your face. I had never seen an evaporative cooler until I encountered the antique model in our motel room, which spit water all over the beds and floor. It gets hot in Georgia, but that heat was something else! I didn't see any muslims but they would feel right at home in the California desert. That would be the ideal place for all of them, behind a nice, sturdy corral.

Posted by: Susanp at April 14, 2007 1:02 AM

Allahfanculo-

As R. Mutt, urologist extraordinaire, would have said:

"A shame somebody spilled the beans."

From now on, just have the arrows painted in the direction of the toilets.

Mecca caca.

Posted by: profitsbeard at April 14, 2007 1:33 AM

Susanp & Pelayo

I used to travel thru Blythe en route to Palo Verde years ago during long weekends, and during summer trips, the weather was as you describe. Never came across Muslims there myself.

However, if one were to take the I10 from Blythe to LA, then on the way, before Indio, there is an exit that shows Mecca to the South West, and 29 Palms to the North West. If those Muslims had asked one for the Qibla, one should have pointed them to the town South East of Indio, just north of the Salton Sea, and that town could have received its salat.

On the antipode question, I looked at my globe. Mecca's longitude, if completed, runs along the AK-YT border, and that is the only piece of land along it. Mecca (the Arab one) lies just south of the tropic of cancer, so it's antipode would like north of the tropic of capricorn. Looking at it, it's nowhere near Brazil - instead, it runs through the Pacific, and is surrounded by French Polynesian islands: I was way off about it being near NZ.

Caroline

You bring up a good point - like the kid who pointed out that the Emperor had no clothes, if someone were to simply perk up and ask how mis-directing Muslim criminals as to the direction of Mecca is a violation of any right. If I ask anybody, including a public official, directions to any place, like the Mecca above, and they misdirect me, I can't complain about anything - they don't have any obligation to give me correct directions to anywhere (it's just a matter of courtesy.) Similarly, while it's one thing for criminals to complain of being abused while in jail, they have absolutely no leg to stand on if someone gives them wrong info about anything. It's just not a right.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 14, 2007 3:12 AM

if they have to put markings on the wall so they can pray towards Mecca makes you wonder just how many Muslims are getting tossed in jail in Holland and besides the fact that Muslims men and women both are sticking their asses in the airwhen they pray five times a day just proves the moon god they worship is a pervert and a sex fiend to demand they present their asses to know five times a day I assume this is so that he can screw both men and women when he wants to and given how Islam is not progress in 1700 years Muslims are really getting screwed

Posted by: godisnotallha at April 14, 2007 3:13 AM

Mecca Arabia's antipode is 21d 25' 21"s 39d 49'34"w, about 70 miles off the coast of Brazil. NE of (appropriately) Rio.

So they've been facing the babes of Copacabana Beach whilst they've been praying. Ouch!

Posted by: Spirit Of 1683 at April 14, 2007 4:44 AM

A couple of points on this.
Firstly, i cannot believe that convicted criminals have been pandered to like this! But since they have, and i can understand some prison authorities wishing to cater to basic prisoner "comfort", since when is such a blunder "gigantic"!? The most that this error deserves is an "oops" and a correction. The catastrophising that the authorities evince here is ridiculous and unjustified.

Secondly, contemptuous comments on the posture assumed by praying Muslims are unworthy - that posture is actually very good for the nervous system and has the effect of calming down the practitioner. (I forget the technicalities of this pose). There are similar yoga poses.

That said, the dangers of Islam are well-documented here.

Posted by: carpediadem at April 14, 2007 5:33 AM

So it was their ass and not their head that was pointing to Mecca. Good starting point. Now, let's all fart together and blow Mecca away.

Posted by: ProudDhimmi at April 14, 2007 11:06 AM

LOLOLOLOL!!!
They shook their raised butts in the direction of their fraudulent Allah and Allah's Mecca

Posted by: dennisw at April 14, 2007 1:09 PM

LOLOLOLOL!!!
They shook their raised butts in the direction of their fraudulent Allah and Allah's Mecca

Posted by: dennisw at April 14, 2007 1:09 PM

Priceless! Rarely do I laugh out loud when browsing this site, but this did the trick. As statement against absolute authority and superstition I might point my rear toward Mecca daily.

This superstitious practice is as hilarious as symbolically eating your father or not eating hot dogs on certain Fridays during the year.

More serious aside: Walid Phares has another excellent book out, following his superb Future Jihad. It dovetails nicely with the points made here for a number of years, and does it without a smug Christian promotional agenda.

Posted by: amana39 at April 15, 2007 12:29 PM

Curiously I was reading something on antipodes the other day, and Mecca was mentioned.

The antipodes of Mecca turns out to be close to Mururoa, the French nuclear test facility in the S. Pacific.

Posted by: kiwi_john at April 17, 2007 6:59 AM