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Vegeta
Skeptic Friend

United Kingdom
238 Posts

Posted - 06/25/2003 :  18:04:54  Show Profile Send Vegeta a Private Message
www.psipog.net

I'm new here so I don't know how much you guys know about cecrtain things on the net. This has to be the dumbest, these guy have people convinced they can shoot psi-balls and do telekenesis. Check out the media page. you can even chat to them, they seem to be totally for real.

What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a pink shirt before?

"I was asked if I would do a similar sketch but focusing on the shortcomings of Islam rather than Christianity. I said, 'No, no I wouldn't. I may be an atheist but I'm not stupid.'" - Steward Lee

Tim
SFN Regular

USA
775 Posts

Posted - 06/27/2003 :  03:30:32   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Tim a Private Message
Another group of whackos...Will they ever learn? Hmmm...maybe it's me, 'cause I ain't got the patience to learn how to throw a psiball.

"We got an issue in America. Too many good docs are gettin' out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their -- their love with women all across this country." Dubya in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, 9/6/2004
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 06/27/2003 :  04:33:50   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
Yeah, sometimes it seems like they spring up like dandilions. And they all have a following. Sad, ain't it.

I'm always tempted to send them info on James Randi and the million sheckles he's offering for proving it, but I never do. I'm sure they already know about it.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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TG
Skeptic Friend

USA
121 Posts

Posted - 06/27/2003 :  07:37:23   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send TG a Private Message
My cat does a pretty good job of hurling hair-balls.

TG
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26020 Posts

Posted - 06/27/2003 :  09:48:19   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Wow. According to them, "disarming a skeptic" involves a FOIA request for documents from the CIA relating to Remote Viewing or STARGATE. They don't tell you what to do with the documents, however, so for amusement's sake, I'll assume that you're supposed to take the box of documents the CIA sends you and bash the skeptics into submission. Or maybe bore them to tears by actually reading it aloud.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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Computer Org
Skeptic Friend

392 Posts

Posted - 06/27/2003 :  09:58:41   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Computer Org a Private Message
Has anyone noticed that the WebMaster's handle in the Forums (--which he has [supposedly] just disabled--) is PeaBrain?

Ho, ho, ho!!

Let's see: Should it be Bud or Coors or the always trustworthy (if somewhat insipid) Miller Lite?

TGGFF! (Thank the Great Groker For Fridays!)



Do thou amend thy face, and I'll amend my life. --Falstaff
Edited by - Computer Org on 06/27/2003 10:25:51
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stony
New Member

2 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2003 :  14:03:51   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit stony's Homepage Send stony a Private Message
Hello,

I'm am a long time user and high standing member of PsiPog.net. Now, before you begin to issue ban commands and start a flame war, please listen to me for just a moment.

I realize I am preaching to many a sceptic on this board, but I am tired of seeing this site slandered. You may call any talk of psychic abilites nothing but utter bullshit and "not real science". You may say, "It's not possible! There is just no way you can do such a thing!" This is the exact same thing stated when the though of space travel came about in the 1950's, but we went there didn't we? Exactly. Things change folks, and weather you like it or not, psionics is slowly being considered a science.

The United States government and even the former USSR looked heavily into psionics, espesially during the cold war. If you have any doubts you may write the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act. It'll probably cost you about $20 US, but within one month they will send you information on Telepaty, Remove Viewing, Psychokenisis, and "STARGATE".

There are people who do not believe in god, yet, do we criticize them as heavily as we do people whom believe in or dabble in psionics? No. Why? I don't know, perhaps it's the skeptic's own fear, or maybe people lack the knowlage to accept such a thing.

Tim: " Another group of whackos...Will they ever learn? Hmmm...maybe it's me, 'cause I ain't got the patience to learn how to throw a psiball."

So Tim, you like to call people that don't share the same thoughts as you a whacko? Would you call a Jewish person a whacko if you were Catholic? Probably not.

Acceptance is also an issue here. Weather you like it, or know it, psychics are here, they are around you. Some of your friends may be them, and yet, maybe they aren't. For the sake of this rant, let's say one of your close friends is a psychic. Now, would you make fun and otherwise harrass them the same way you do another psychic? I'd bet that you wouldn't.

We are normal people. We lead fairly normal lives, work in normal places, and go to the same normal schools you do. Hell, I hang out with total sceptics!

Computer Org: " Has anyone noticed that the WebMaster's handle in the Forums (--which he has [supposedly] just disabled--) is PeaBrain?"

The forums were disabled, and it was because people like you, were spamming and acting like complete asses. If you don't believe in something, that does not give you the right to act like a four year old.

Filthy: " I'm always tempted to send them info on James Randi and the million sheckles he's offering for proving it, but I never do. I'm sure they already know about it."

I'm quite aware of James Randi and his fake "psychic" acts. That's old news and everyone knows it. I also know of his one million dollar prize. Anyone who is offering one million dollars to prove something he can do himself obviously cannot do it himself!

Vegeta: " I'm new here so I don't know how much you guys know about cecrtain things on the net. This has to be the dumbest, these guy have people convinced they can shoot psi-balls and do telekenesis. Check out the media page. you can even chat to them, they seem to be totally for real. "

You do not have to like the media, that's why there is a four paragraph disclaimer on the page. Indeed, those videos could have been faked easily, but you know what? That doesn't matter. You can choose to think what you wish.

And before you go into how we think DBZ is real, we don't. We have rules against such utter bullshit. You cannot "blast" someone and kill them with psiballs or whatnot, it just won't happen.

I cannot tell you what to believe, nor can I make others. But before you all run your mouth, look into things further and try to see things from other people's point of view.

Here's my e-mail address: psi_stony1205@yahoo.com

Thank you for listing to me for a moment.
Stony
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furshur
SFN Regular

USA
1536 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2003 :  14:54:15   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send furshur a Private Message
There is absolutely no evidence that any psi-ball shooting or telewhatever is possible. If anybody could do this crap they would be the toast of the town. It would be the biggest freaking news story in the world. It just doesn't happen. There is no such thing as psi powers - sorry.
I do want to say thanks for posting and sharing your opinion.
And by the way what does this paragraph mean?
quote:
I'm quite aware of James Randi and his fake "psychic" acts. That's old news and everyone knows it. I also know of his one million dollar prize. Anyone who is offering one million dollars to prove something he can do himself obviously cannot do it himself!

If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know.
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Computer Org
Skeptic Friend

392 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2003 :  15:20:41   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Computer Org a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by stony:

The United States government and even the former USSR looked heavily into psionics, espesially during the cold war.


As it turns out, one day in grad school, bored crosseyed with a problem set in System Science (probably Hybrid Computation) in the mid '70s, I decided to hunt for info about "telepathy" in the Foreign Territory of the Library's alien, mystical Third Floor (PsychoBabblery, et al.).

Interestingly, while I found lots of published research (mostly from Duke University's Parapsychology Department --- J.B. Rhine, et el.), it all seemed to stop abruptly circa 1971. What research I also found from the Soviet Union (Moscow State University --- a very top school in the Soviet Union), and there was a fair amount, also abruptly stopped circa 1971.

The reason given on our side (Duke disbanded the Parapsychology Dept.) was that the reasearch didn't seem to be going anywhere. The Soviets gave no reason for the sudden halt of their publications.
quote:
More extracted from stony's post

Computer Org: " Has anyone noticed that the WebMaster's handle in the Forums (--which he has [supposedly] just disabled--) is PeaBrain?"

The forums were disabled, and it was because people like you, were spamming and acting like complete asses. If you don't believe in something, that does not give you the right to act like a four year old.


Yes, yes. You're right;--but I have an excuse.

There are newly emerging Mathematical Physics fields such as Super String Theory and Inflation Theory. (Here is a blurb from Alan Guth of MIT. Although it's been many months since I've read it, IIRC it is a good read.) (And then there's this gem from the University of Cambridge titled M-theory, the theory formerly known as Strings.) Enjoy.

In these fields are things called "branes". Branes come in different varieties, one of which are the p-branes. Now it so happens that while it is true that the socially-adept (social scientists, authors, reporters, etc.) consider physicists to be "nerds", it is also true that physicists consider the socially-adept (and perhaps others) to be --- ahhh --- "Pea Brains". When I first deciphered the the Physics term "p-brane", I almost ended up ROTFLMAO --- since, of course, I wholeheartedly agreed with such an assessment.

It was embarassment (and the whimsicallness of late Friday) which led me to my clever (but ill-founded) repartee. Apologies.

(Edited to add links to info on brane-related fields.)

Do thou amend thy face, and I'll amend my life. --Falstaff
Edited by - Computer Org on 10/29/2003 15:54:51
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Renae
SFN Regular

543 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2003 :  16:10:39   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Renae a Private Message
I strive to be an open-minded wiseacre skeptic, so I read some of the psipog pages.

I don't get it.

What the hell is a psiball?

Stony, the burden is on you to make a skeptic believe, if you care. If you don't care if others believe, then why did you post here?

BTW: if you can find reliable, high-quality scientific research that shows evidence of psychic ability, I'll cheerfully read it. Really.
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stony
New Member

2 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2003 :  16:31:55   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit stony's Homepage Send stony a Private Message
Why did I post such a long reply?

I am tired of seeing the site and it's 4000 members slandered. That's about it. I've put time and effort into the community, and I'd like some respect back. But whatever.

stony
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Renae
SFN Regular

543 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2003 :  17:08:51   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Renae a Private Message
Stony, if you want 'respect', then earn it. Posting the usual "We're misunderstood and oppressed" stuff doesn't earn my respect, personally.

I ask again: Show me good, objective scientific evidence for psychic abilities. I'll read it.

Edited to add: I'm a little cranky these days, so sorry if my posts were disrespectful. And please note: I stay off religious forums, alternative medicine forums, and woo-woo science forums. It feels rude to me to challenge and question people in their own backyard; but that's just me. And anybody who trolls or spams any site is just a loser. Period.

I'm a wishful skeptic, Stony. I'd like to believe in God, heaven, Bigfoot, and psychics. I'd love to believe that somebody upstairs is watching out for me; that I'll see my beloved grandmother in heaven--these things would make my life sweeter and more comforting. Most days, though, I just can't embrace those things without evidence.

I'm ALWAYS willing to read other viewpoints. So here is your teaching moment, Stony.
Edited by - Renae on 10/30/2003 08:43:55
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furshur
SFN Regular

USA
1536 Posts

Posted - 10/30/2003 :  06:55:13   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send furshur a Private Message
Stony, I really am curious as to what your quote means!
quote:
I also know of his one million dollar prize. Anyone who is offering one million dollars to prove something he can do himself obviously cannot do it himself!

Are you implying that Randi says he really has psychic abilities or are you saying he pretends to have psychic abilities or what??
Again, I am just curious, I don't understand what you are trying to say could you please clarify, thanks.

If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know.
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filthy
SFN Die Hard

USA
14408 Posts

Posted - 10/30/2003 :  08:26:58   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send filthy a Private Message
Stoney, the long and short of it is that we've all seen to many charlatons such as Geller and Edward. We have seen exactly zero, empirical evidence of psyhic abilities, anywhere.

Now, as to the CIA documents, logic tells me that some percentage of your 4000 members have aquired them. Thus, the CIA tests can be duplicated and their results verified (assuming the tests were described). If indeed these and other tests should render positive results, verifying the claims, then your fortune would be made, would it not?

As for Randi, I have no reason to doubt the honesty of his offer or his tests, as he describes them. If evidence to the contrary should be put forth, I'll have to consider it and possibly change my mind. However, the verasity of Randi has nothing to do the question. The question is: do some people, and indeed some animals such as dogs, have psyhic abilities? Right or wrong, Randi cannot change the answer.

We skeptics are no different from any other group. Some of us are thoughtful and considerate, others are assholes. Sadly, your forum seems to have attracted the latter.

I too, appreciate your showing up here. We all too seldom get someone willing to defend 'the other side'.


"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)

"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres


"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude

Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,

and Crypto-Communist!

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Computer Org
Skeptic Friend

392 Posts

Posted - 10/30/2003 :  08:56:24   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send Computer Org a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by stony

Why did I post such a long reply?

I am tired of seeing the site and it's 4000 members slandered. That's about it. I've put time and effort into the community, and I'd like some respect back. But whatever.

stony

I have even better questions:
  1. I went to a lot of work to address your criticism of my (and this board's) criticism of the psipog.net site. I've re-read my post;--everything I wrote seems OK and true except that I think that by then I had moved from grad-student status to faculty status (at Michigan State --- which will, of course, utterly TROUNCE the pip-squeeks at U. of M. --- perhaps). I was still taking courses and still in a sort-of PhD program so that error is irrelevant.

    • Why didn't you even deign to at least acknowledge my posting?

  2. I apologized. ANY civilized person would, at the minimum, say "OK". Why did you ignore my grovelling?
If you had read the links I provided --- or if anyone from your site had read them --- there should be dancing-for-joy and cheering from the stands. While I don't personally know of any linkage, if there is such a thing as "telepathy" then it's source is almost certainly to be found in the 6 sub-microscopic, 'curled up' dimensions of StringTheory.

Do thou amend thy face, and I'll amend my life. --Falstaff
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Dave W.
Info Junkie

USA
26020 Posts

Posted - 10/30/2003 :  09:48:14   [Permalink]  Show Profile  Visit Dave W.'s Homepage Send Dave W. a Private Message
Stony wrote:
quote:
The United States government and even the former USSR looked heavily into psionics, espesially during the cold war. If you have any doubts you may write the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act. It'll probably cost you about $20 US, but within one month they will send you information on Telepaty, Remove Viewing, Psychokenisis, and "STARGATE".
Oh, I don't think many people would doubt that the government has looked into psionics since, after all, it's a matter of public record. Frankly, the government looks into a lot of things which I feel are a waste of time and effort. The fact that they are no longer looking into psionics - in any public way - should also tell us all something. Either

A) they're doing research on the sly, using discretionary funding not discussed in Congressional subcommittees, or

B) the previous research was found lacking.

It's clear to me that lots of super-secret stuff is researched by government agencies without requiring approval from Congress. However, something this big would be leaked, as has happened so many times before. People won't get excited enough about, for example, the next generation of shotgun microphone or teeny-tiny camera to risk their jobs or their freedom to blab to a reporter. But real psychic abilities would get someone worked up enough to deliver evidence to CNN, regardless of the consequences.

Thus, I find possibility B much more believable.

- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too.
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