Wave and Ghost

Today's Wall Street Journal includes a "fourth column" front page article about the post-tsunami ghost problem in Thailand. The local belief system is such that the roadways and beaches are crowded with ghosts that keep meandering around. Since they died unexpectedly they are unable to leave this world.

A crack team of monks has been dispatched to hurry around the country to say the prayers necessary to move everyone along. They see it as a practical matter. It's harder to get the tourist trade back when you've got the spirits of German families loitering around the sand volleyball court.

I would link to the article, but the WSJ is only available online with a paid subscription. I pay for the print media in this case because it's worthwhile. Meanwhile I've noticed print newspapers are adding more hyperlinks in articles and editorials. They look silly jammed into the body text with all those dots and backslashes.

Like those ghosts, newspapers were caught when the world changed, and now they are stuck with an inadequate form.