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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 07/10/2005 : 12:17:07
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But apparently it does.
Take the test and see how you fare, then pass it along to make friends and family crazy. 
quote:
Ok, can someone explain this?
by John in DC - 7/09/2005 02:43:00 PM
This is one of those emails going around, and it worked for me, and now I'm kind of freaked out. Read through this - and finish each mathematical calculation before moving on to the next question - then post in the comments if it worked for you, and someone please explain why. Because it worked for me.
At the end of this message, you are asked a question. Answer it immediately. Don't stop and think about it. Just say the first thing that pops into your mind. This is a fun "test"... AND kind of spooky at the same time! Give it a try, then e-mail it around (including back to me) and you'll see how many people you know fall into the same percentage as you. Be sure to put in the subject line if you are among the 98% or the 2%. You'll understand what that means after you finish taking the "test".
Now... just follow the instructions as quickly as possible. Do not go to the next calculation before you have finished the previous one
You do not need to write or remember the answers, just do it using your mind.
You'll be surprised.
I ended up slightly outside the pall (per usual  ). That might mean, something. Maybe....
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"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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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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dv82matt
SFN Regular
760 Posts |
 Posted - 07/10/2005 : 13:06:49 [Permalink]
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Veeery interesting.
It didn't work for me either though.
I'd be very surprised if, in a controled setting, it worked 98% of the time. |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 14:16:04 [Permalink]
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Here's another one of those that works nearly all of the time.
1. Pick a number from 5 to 9
2. Subtract 5
3. Multiply by 3
4. Square the number (multiply it by itself)
5. Add the digits in the number together until you get only one digit; i.e. 64: 6 + 4 = 10; 1 + 0= 1
6. If the number is less than 5, add five. Otherwise subtract 4.
7. Multiply it by 2
8. Subtract 6
9. Give the digit its corresponding letter in the alphabet (for example: 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D...26=Z, etc)
10. Pick a name of a country (NOT A STATE) that begins with that letter.
11. Take the second letter in the country name and think of a mammal that begins with that letter.
12. Think of the most common color of that mammal.
Answer: A GRAY ELEPHANT FROM DENMARK!
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 07/10/2005 14:17:02 |
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dv82matt
SFN Regular
760 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 14:47:54 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by H. Humbert
Here's another one of those that works nearly all of the time.
1. Pick a number from 5 to 9
2. Subtract 5
3. Multiply by 3
4. Square the number (multiply it by itself)
5. Add the digits in the number together until you get only one digit; i.e. 64: 6 + 4 = 10; 1 + 0= 1
6. If the number is less than 5, add five. Otherwise subtract 4.
7. Multiply it by 2
8. Subtract 6
9. Give the digit its corresponding letter in the alphabet (for example: 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D...26=Z, etc)
10. Pick a name of a country (NOT A STATE) that begins with that letter.
11. Take the second letter in the country name and think of a mammal that begins with that letter.
12. Think of the most common color of that mammal.
Answer: A GRAY ELEPHANT FROM DENMARK!
Hmmm, let me guess, it's a black jaguar from Djibouti.
Checking the spoiler text... Oh damn! I always get these wrong! |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 14:57:59 [Permalink]
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| Haha, Ricky, we've thought the same thing |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 15:01:05 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by H. Humbert
Here's another one of those that works nearly all of the time.
1. Pick a number from 5 to 9
2. Subtract 5
3. Multiply by 3
4. Square the number (multiply it by itself)
5. Add the digits in the number together until you get only one digit; i.e. 64: 6 + 4 = 10; 1 + 0= 1
6. If the number is less than 5, add five. Otherwise subtract 4.
7. Multiply it by 2
8. Subtract 6
9. Give the digit its corresponding letter in the alphabet (for example: 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D...26=Z, etc)
10. Pick a name of a country (NOT A STATE) that begins with that letter.
11. Take the second letter in the country name and think of a mammal that begins with that letter.
12. Think of the most common color of that mammal.
Answer: A GRAY ELEPHANT FROM DENMARK!
What, a gray rhinocerous from France? Oh, poop... I got it wrong |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 15:33:29 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
What, a gray rhinocerous from France? Oh, poop... I got it wrong
If you started with the letter F then you did the math wrong. It's set up so you always end up on the same letter.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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GeeMack
SFN Regular
USA
1093 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 16:26:01 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy...
Take the test and see how you fare, then pass it along to make friends and family crazy.
Woohoo! I wasn't even a near miss. I passed with flying colors. I'm proud to say I'm among the 2% that thinks differently from most everyone else. 
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woolytoad
Skeptic Friend
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 16:36:34 [Permalink]
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Same result as Ricky. Are we abnormal?
I also got a Black Emu from Denmark. But a) I used to be really into natural history when I was a kid. So I know more about animals than your average person. b) I know very little about geography c) I would have also thought of elephant had we not been talking about how much Emu meat sucks on Saturday night with some friends. |
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Tim
SFN Regular
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 17:04:26 [Permalink]
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quote:
Posted by woolytoadI also got a Black Emu from Denmark.
Sorry Wooly, but H.'s instructions required a mammal. Not much choice in the outcome. Whenever someone makes us jump through so many hoops, they're looking for a specific answer.
And, as for that post about tool and color...What the f... Is there something I'm missing? I did it and came no where close to the correct answer. Is that some sort of joke and I'm missing the punchline? |
"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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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 17:09:54 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by H. Humbert
quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
What, a gray rhinocerous from France? Oh, poop... I got it wrong
If you started with the letter F then you did the math wrong. It's set up so you always end up on the same letter.
Probably. |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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tw101356
Skeptic Friend
USA
333 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 17:22:36 [Permalink]
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I got the correct tool, but the wrong color.
I've got one of these that I've used for years as a party trick. You ask the volunteer to rapidly answer a series of six or so problems that all result in 15 (9+6, 8+7, etc.). Then ask them to name a vegetable. Nine out of ten will answer carrot. Prior to the trick, or even at the very beginning, you have written that word on a piece of paper, folded the paper, and placed it ostentatiously in full sight. The trick works best when the volunteer answers quickly and with a minimum of thought. It does not work at all with people who cannot add 9+6 in their head.
Even if the trick fails, most of the bystanders will volunteer that they were thinking of "carrot" and be duly impressed.
A significant portion of those who do not say carrot seem to think of zucchini.
The only explanation that sounds reasonable is that we mentally associate "carat" with numbers ending in "teen" (E.G. fourteen carat gold) and thus readily think of "carrot" in the same sound context.
No data has been collected and no more than a casual analysis performed, yet it works most times and is well worth repeating for newer crowds.
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- TW
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| Edited by - tw101356 on 07/10/2005 17:24:20 |
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Tim
SFN Regular
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 17:44:20 [Permalink]
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Hmmm, Carrots? Zuchinis? Small numbers? Sounds all rather Freudian to me...
Seriously, TW, as you said, even if the person being tested doesn't answer properly, another member of the 'audience' will pipe up with the 'right' answer. Sounds pretty much like using one of the tools of a cold reading. If you stick with common, everyday predictions you're going to get a hit. |
"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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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 19:06:04 [Permalink]
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I also read once that if you tell people to write down quickly--with little forethought--the first shape that pops into their head, the majority of people will draw a triangle.
However, the book I read this in was a book about UFO's and their triangle-shaped craft. They were trying to draw some kind of connection (I forget what now) so take that one with a grain of salt. Actually, when I tried on a few people, most drew circles or more generally amorphous blobs.
I also read (someplace else) that if you tell people to pick a number 1-10, a disproportionately large number of them will pick 7. |
"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 07/10/2005 19:11:22 |
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woolytoad
Skeptic Friend
313 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2005 : 19:09:52 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Tim
quote:
Posted by woolytoadI also got a Black Emu from Denmark.
Sorry Wooly, but H.'s instructions required a mammal. Not much choice in the outcome. Whenever someone makes us jump through so many hoops, they're looking for a specific answer.
I missed that part. Oops! |
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