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News Briefs 25-01-2012

Bon appetit.

Thanks to Blue Pill Sober & hiddenplace.

Quote of the Day:

The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.

Henry Miller

  1. Remote Viewing Spaceship on Moon – pseudoscience?
    Re remote viewing is pseudoscience by Ray Villard…Ray wrote: “Government involvement (and gullibility) alone doesn’t legitimize what is clearly a pseudoscience that ranks alongside astrology, ghost hunting, and “telekinetic” spoon-bending.” Apparently Ray is not at all informed with the very accurate results obtained in many cases. Of course there is an equal amount of B.S. put out by fakers for either notoriety or profit motives.

    Ray wrote, “no natural particles or fields capable of carrying information into the human brain, independently from the five senses, have ever been quantitatively measured in a physics laboratory.” So? When did measureability become the benchmark for reality? The “science of physics is based on theory” later verified through measurements only after our technology has evolved to a degree to “quantitatively measure the benchmark.” Based on his standard of criteria, much of groundbreaking physics is pseudoscience. Just because we are not yet capable of measuring in a lab something does not negate its existence.

    Ray wrote, “And, as is typical of a pseudoscience, remote viewing claims contradict fundamental physics such as the speed of light barrier and causality.” Apparently poor Ray is not informed about nonlocality and Alain Aspect’s 1982 experiment with twin photons proving either faster than the speed of light communication or more likely that they are nonlocally connected.

    I don’t have an opinion whether Appolo astronauts found a spaceship on the moon or not, but the ardent skepticism and condescending tone of Ray Villard’s attack on Remote Viewing is typical of the close minded arrogance and protectionism of the establishment when confronted with paradigm threatening ideas.

    1. Propaganda?
      Well said.

      From what I’ve learned about the subject, it seems valid to assume that the ridicule around the subject is a fabrication promoted to dissuade independent research, although of course such assumptions grant you the label of ‘conspiracy theorist’ —yes, I like to take out my tinfoil hat from the closet once in a while 😉

      1. Remote Viewing Spaceship on Moon – pseudoscience?
        RPJ, I agree the ridicule is propaganda. I don’t actually believe Ray Villard is uninformed on nonlocality. Rather that these skeptics selectively ignore supporting evidence or theories for any phenomenah they are trying to discredit, making them completely disingenous. The conspiracy likely is the self-serving motivation of these skeptics and scientists to reject any phenomenah outside their paradigm or field of expertise simply to protect the validity of their life’s work or writing. Simple example: if they devoted their career to a flat world theory or to skepticism of round world evidence and suddenly the round world is proven, their life’s work then becomes meaningless. I know you know this, just articulating my thoughts – mostly borrowed from others in all honesty… 🙂

    2. Agreed
      [quote=Greg H]Ray is not at all informed with the very accurate results obtained in many cases. Of course there is an equal amount of B.S. put out by fakers for either notoriety or profit motives.[/quote]

      Absolutely agree with both points, Greg. Ray Villard has demonstrated the classic syndrome of pseudoskeptics — “don’t bother me with the facts, my mind is already made up.” I wouldn’t mind so much if it weren’t for the snarky holier-than-thou tone of the article, that’s what gets under my skin. Ridicule and abuse — the two most trusted tools in the pseudoskeptic toolbox!

  2. Auroras

    Maybe I’m crazy —Ok fine, drop the ‘maybe’— but somehow the beautiful colors of these celestial phenomena remind me of the iridiscent feathers of the Quetzal bird.

    Would we get to see a magnifiscent aurora spectacle later in the year, down here closer to the Equator?

    Thoughts?

    1. Auroras
      [quote=red pill junkie]Would we get to see a magnifiscent aurora spectacle later in the year, down here closer to the Equator?[/quote]

      Not with Mexico City’s smog, amigo. 😉

      Interesting point about the colours of the Quetzal bird, though. Oddly, there’s not much in Norse mythology connecting the Northern Lights to any particular being, except for the belief that the auroras are the flickering lights reflected off the armour of Valkyries (swan maidens).

      However, the auroras have been witnessed by Romans, even Aristotle in Greece. In the 6th century BC, the Hebrew prophet-priest Ezekial wrote, “…a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.” Some interpret this as Ezekial describing the auroras.

      Did Mayans travel north and witness the auroras? Who knows. Quetzal bird feathers were traded with Native Americans of the Southwest, so it’s possible there may have been trade further north, or tales traveling south at the least.

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